The Journey Home
by MythicRhyvon
Summary: Tony resigns from NCIS after one too many slights. Looking for direction, he heads to Oahu, the home of his Ex, Steve McGarrett. Though not planning to actually see the man on his trip, unexpected circumstances bring them together. Facing an unexpected reunion, a slew of unresolved feelings, and an offer that could change everything, Tony might just have found his way home. SM/TD
1. Chapter 1

Ka Momi O Home (The Journey Home)

The shrimp was some of the best he'd ever tasted- which was really saying something considering he grew up on the East Coast. The warm Hawaiian breeze blew gently across his face, the sun just starting to set over the gorgeous ocean, and the colors were absolutely amazing.

He'd been pretty messed up when he'd gotten on a plane to paradise. It'd been years since he'd been back, the last time being when he still worked in Baltimore. He used to come at least once a year, but the last time had ended on a rocky note and then, well, then he joined NCIS and stopped looking back.

He wondered sometimes what might have happened if he'd taken his lovers offer of moving in with him seriously. At the time he'd been young, caught up in his career and getting his detective badge. He couldn't fathom leaving it behind and moving to the middle of the pacific, only to start over again- if he could even get a job at the Honolulu PD. Especially for a man who was a Navy SEAL and would be gone for months at a time. It was just... Not in the cards at the time.

His refusal hadn't gone over extremely well, and things had gotten pretty tense between them. He knew it had taken a lot for Steve to work up the courage to ask him to move, he was a very stoic man and having emotional talks were rare and akin to pulling teeth. A wall had gone up when he'd said no, once he was unable to break through before he'd had to get on a plane back home.

The two had tried to keep up their long distance relationship, but something had felt different. Then, when everything with his partner blew up and he'd accepted a job at NCIS Steve had been deployed. It wasn't until nearly two months after the fact that he'd called, and he hadn't taken the news that Tony had uprooted and moved to DC any better than he had his denial to move to Hawaii.

It didn't seem to matter that the move was a step up in his career or that the move was minute compared to crossing the ocean. He'd taken it as Tony not wanting to move to be with him, rather than the circumstances of the move. He'd gotten cold and quiet during that conversation and then the calls got further and further apart. He didn't come and visit like he tried to do in-between deployments, and when he got sent out again he'd simply left a message on Tony's home phone that he was shipping out, he didn't know how long he'd be gone and to move on and forget about him.

Tony hadn't been back to the islands since, and hadn't really dated anyone seriously since then either. He'd tried, but he never found someone that clicked with him as well as Steve had. After everything that had gone down at NCIS over the past couple of years- Gibbs leaving and coming back, Ziva and McGee's worsening attitude towards him, Abby covering up the fact that they'd shut of his communication and left him without back up while he was getting voice prints, it was all too much. He felt like, if he stayed, he would eventually end up dead or injured in the line of duty. He no longer trusted his partners to watch his six, and he just couldn't pretend anymore.

It'd all come to head after the last case. It'd been terrible anyway- any cases involving dead children were, but this particular case had been a soldier with PTSD who had killed his wife, their three kids and then himself. They'd been called into investigate as a matter of course and what they had found was horrific. The three children were all under ten. They'd been asleep in their beds when it had started, but only the oldest child looked peaceful. The second child, who was all of seven, was found curled in the corner of his closet and, while the youngest was still in her bed, she'd been curled in a tight ball under the covers and the terrified grimace remained on her tiny little face even in death. The wife had been strangled in the kitchen, and the soldier was found dead in his armchair in the living room.

The scene was horrific and they could not be done processing it quickly enough. Still, it was a pretty open and shut case so thankfully hadn't taken to much time. Tony had written his report as soon as they'd gotten to the office and finished the SFA paperwork immediately after. Ziva had not completed her report, despite the fact that she'd had most of the work day to do so.

When five o'clock came around and he tried to leave Gibbs had stopped him and informed him that he was not allowed to leave until all the reports were in. He'd stopped and had to take a breath. Gibbs knew Ziva had been screwing around all afternoon and had not done anything about it the entire time. That he was now expecting Tony to stay after hours, despite having been working on cold cases for the past two hours, because she could not do her own job was enough to ignite the fury that had been steadily building. Ziva hadn't even looked upset at having to stay herself, but rather had a mocking little smirk on her face at the fact that Tony was expected to stay as well. Gibbs, as par for course, was packing up to leave himself.

Tony had sat back down until he and McGee left the office to pull up the letter of resignation that he already had written and saved on his computer. He dated it, printed it and then headed up to talk to the director. By the time he'd come back down the stairs, Ziva's report was sitting on his desk and the woman herself was gone. He shook his head, moved it to Gibbs' desk, along with his and McGee's, and then started packing up his desk. As they had just finished a case, he did not see the point of giving two weeks' notice and then potentially having his leave come in the middle of a case. Beyond that, he did not think he'd be able to keep a level head for two more weeks of shit.

He'd asked to use the two months of earned time instead, which the director had little choice but to accept. Once he was finished clearing his desk out he moved back over to Gibbs' desk. He removed the spare key from his own key ring (left over from when he'd been team lead and had sat there himself), unlocked the bottom drawer and dropped the box of metals inside and then laid his service weapon and badge on top of it.

He stared down at it for several long moments, wondering if he would regret the choice he was making but the only thing he felt was a sense of relief at not having to deal with it anymore. He slid it shut silently, relocking it and then placing the key under the reports where it would be hidden from direct sight.

He'd gone home, purchased a plane ticket and had been boarding a plane at the time he normally went to the office. His phone was off and he was planning for it to remain that way, at least until he figured out what his next step would be. He had a slew of job offers in a box at home built up over the years, but with two months' vacation time coming, he was not in a hurry to visit it.

That had been nearly two weeks ago and Tony was feeling better than he had in years. His skin was tan, his lungs felt damn near as good as they had before the plague and then the gloomy cold weather of DC. He was contemplating if he wanted to head back to his hotel or go for a walk when he was shaken out of his thoughts by a voice above him.

"Excuse me, do you mind if we sit here? The other tables are full." Tony looked up to see a short and compact man standing near him, blond hair slicked back against the wind and Jersey accent clear in his voice.

"Oh, not at all. I was actually just getting ready to head out- tables all yours." He shot a polite smile at the man and moved to pick up his garbage. He tossed it in the nearby can and then headed down the beach to enjoy the vibrant colors painting the sky.

He tucked his hands into the pockets of his shorts. His short sleeve white button up had the top and bottom two buttons undone and the breeze tugged at it as he walked. He ended up sitting just above the surf, elbows propped on his knees and content to remain that way for the next hour.

The next morning the peace continued as Tony set off for his morning run. It continued the next night, when he ate an amazing steak at an ocean front restaurant where the majority of the dining room was actually in front of the of the building, with only palm trees for a ceiling. It continued through the next three days as he hiked some of the most breathtaking trails in the world.

Despite that, Tony was feeling a little nostalgic at the familiar sights. All the trails he traveled to were ones Steve had shown him at one time or another. It was paradise, but everything about it reminded him of what he had let go, what he had pushed away. He wondered what his life would have been like if he'd moved to Hawaii all those years ago. Would they be married by now? Would they have broken up regardless?

Was he still in the SEALS? Was he deployed now? Was he on the island? He'd been thinking about the man more and more frequently over the past couple of days. He even thought he saw him at the market the night before, but when he'd turned to look again the man was gone. He told himself he was seeing things. When they'd been together, Steve spent less than a month out of the year on the island. It was very unlikely he was there now. That Tony had chosen Oahu of all the islands was because it was familiar to him, not for the miniscule chance he might stumble across his ex.

Still, he was starting to think it was time to move on again. The memories were starting to overpower the peace and that wasn't something he wanted. He was thinking about hopping over to Maui or Kauai, seeing something different. He was reluctant to leave the islands all together, enjoying the weather too much to give it up when he still had almost six weeks of vacation time left before he needed to buckle down and make some life decisions.

At that moment, he was heading up the ten-mile trail that was Tantalus. It was still early, the sun just starting to brighten the day and the trail was still fairly deserted. It ran along a residential area, so some sounds of early life could be heard on the air. Still, it was peaceful, and absolutely stunning. He'd run the first three miles and could already feel the steep rise in elevation dragging on his muscles. Runners high was setting in the harder he pushed himself and he drove relentlessly onwards.

A sudden commotion could be heard off to his left, and he slowed his pace slightly without conscious thought. A gunshot split though the air, quickly followed by three more. Tony stopped completely, reaching for the gun that wasn't there and trying to calm his racing heart and accelerated breathing.

He forced himself to take sniper breaths, kneeling under some shrubbery pulling out the knife that was secured in the pocket of his running shorts. A voice that was vaguely familiar broke through the resounding silence, even nature holding its breath. The high-pitched scream of a young girl split the air next as the commotion came closer to his hiding spot.

"Let her go, Nelson!" A vaguely familiar voice demanded sternly. "How do you think this is going to end?"

"No!" A hysterical voice shouted back, a mixture of rage and hopelessness vying for control. "Just stop following me! I'll let her go once I know I'm free!"

"You know we can't do! Look at her, Nelson! She's a little girl and she has nothing to do with this!"

Another gunshot sounded then, and another as the man began running, dragging the girl behind him. Tony watched him break through the foliage and adjusted his position slightly. The sweat was still running freely down his face, but luckily his body had steadied under his tight control. He spent most of the time looking backwards, shooting every few seconds to try and buy himself time to get a way. The little girl, he could see, was crying freely and struggling against the tight grip he had around her small wrists.

Fury surged through him at the sight, but he kept his body still, carefully. The man looked right over the top of him before he turned his head again. Tony counted down silently, tracking his rapid footsteps, and waiting for the exact right time. With his left arm holding his hostage, his right arm extended out and pointing his gun and his head turned to look behind himself, Tony made his move.

Not wanting to risk a wild shot if he struck the man outright, he instead lunged up and directly at his right wrist. The man shouted in shock, a shot firing up into the air with the movement. He reflexively let go of the girl, turning instead to return the sudden attack. The girl, luckily, turned and ran back the direction from which she came. The man cursed and struggled against him, but it only took a second to twist the gun from his grip and force him to the ground.

He did not want to risk the man getting loose trying to reach the gun, so he kept his hold instead. "Over here!" He shouted. "Don't shoot, he's disarmed!"

The blonde man from the shrimp truck game bursting through the shrubbery, gun out but aimed more towards the ground than at them. He moved closer cautiously and kicked the perp's gun further away from the pair.

"Robert Nelson, you are under arrest for the murder of Emily Eden and Clarissa Smith." The blonde growled as he easily secured both wrists from where Tony had them held behind his back. "Get up." He demanded, pulling him roughly to his feet. Tony backed away and stood straight himself, taking a second to brush off the foliage that clung to his legs.

He began pushing the man in front of him out onto the openness of the trail. "You, come with me." He commanded, looking squarely at Tony. Tony felt the sudden urge to salute the man and had to lock down on it, knowing the sarcastic edge it would have wouldn't be appreciated in this particular situation. He followed obediently instead, a little out of whack to be the civilian in the scenario.

They made their way down to a connecting road, where two cars were just pulling up. The first was a beautiful cherry red mustang and the second an aggressive silver Camaro. An obviously Hawaiian male and female exited the mustang and moved towards the man to take him from the blonde. Several police cars pulled up then, one of which held the little girl.

Tony was so busy watching the man being led to the car, he stopped paying attention to the second car. He did look back over when an incredulous voice called out his name. Hazel eyes met hazel and both men froze. Steve, well, Steve looked good. He wasn't as lean as he had been the last time Tony saw him, but looked fit and heathier than ever. He was obviously older, but held himself in a way that seemed even older still.

The man was dressed in form fitting cargo pants, complete with two thigh holsters, and a tight black t-shirt under a bullet proof vest. A badge?! Of all things was clipped to his waistband. He felt a small flash of embarrassment at his own mussed basketball shorts, sweaty black tee and too long hair that was currently plastered to his scalp from his earlier exertion. He shook it off. Steve had always been good looking, it made sense that his looks would have only increased with age and maturity.

"Steve." He finally uttered back, after too many seconds had passed. The blonde was looking between them oddly.

"You to know each other?" He asked, looking at Steve for an answer.

"Uh, yea." Steve replied, voice gravely. "What are you doing here, Tony?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but found himself at a rare loss of words. The fleeing murder suspect interrupting his run he could deal with, but having Steve be one of the responding officers was something he wouldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams.

"He got the drop on the perp." The blond spoke up again in the lingering silence. "Which was very stupid by the way. What were you thinking, jumping him like that?" He demanded

"Danny." Steve spoke up, cutting off his tirade. "Can you give us a second?"

"Can I- Are you serious right now, Steven?"

"Danny." He said again, breaking eye contact with Tony to look over at the blonde. "Give us a second." It was no longer a question and 'Danny' clearly heard that as well. He huffed slightly but turned and stalked over to the other officials bustling around and spreading out into the foliage to look for evidence.

"Tony, what are, why are… How did you get involved with my crime scene?" He finally settled on after seeming unable to finish his thought.

"Right place right time?... Or, wrong place, wrong time? I haven't really decided yet." He tried to joke, but the tension in his voice was clear. "I uh, I wasn't expected to see you here. Was pretty sure you wouldn't even be on the island." He shrugged, running a hand through his mussed hair. '

Steve took a half step closer, reading between the lines. "Only pretty sure? You didn't try and look me up before you came?"

"Uh no. I uh, just needed to get away for a bit. I've always," he had to pause and clear his throat briefly, the word 'loved' not wanting break free in that moment. "I've always found it peaceful here." He settled with.

"Yeah, but you could have picked any of the islands. You picked Oahu. Why is that?" he pressed.

"What, you don't want me on your island?" He asked in return, the regret and bitterness buried deep under the words and barely audible.

Steve had always understood him better than anyone, however, and he picked up on it. "No, that's not what I'm saying. Look, I need you to come back to the Palace and answer some questions about all of this and then after, maybe we could catch up?" He sounded hopeful and Tony felt a tug at his heart.

"Yeah, um, yeah, that sounds good."

"Great." It looked like he might want to say something else, but turned and walked back towards the cars instead. Tony followed slowly as they headed over to the group of three standing in front of the cherry mustang, arms crossed and clearly waiting for Steve. As Danny pulled him aside to have a whispered conversation, Tony walked around the hood of the car.

"This is a gorgeous car." He stated finally, looking up at the Hawaiian who had been driving it. "Is it a '66?" At the mans silent nod he continued. "V6 or 8?"

"V8."

Tony hummed. "Nice. 289 HiPo engine?"

"Yeah." The man said, sounding more intrigued. "How did you know?"

"Oh, lucky guess. I actually thought about getting one of these myself, but ended up going with the '69 boss 429." He finished with a smile.

"Oh, no way brah!" He exclaimed. "That car's really rare! I heard one went to auction a few years back. Was that you?"

"Nah." He laughed. "Didn't that car go for like, 400,000? No, uh, an old family friend hooked me up."

"Nice!"

"I'm pretty happy with it."

"I'd love to see it. Is it around?"

"No, its actually back in storage in DC. I'm just here on a vacation of sorts."

"Ah, bummahs."

"Are you two finished?" The woman standing to the side spoke up, cutting through the conversation. She had a small smirk on her face though, so she obviously wasn't too annoyed. "I'm Kono, by the way. This gear head is my cousin, Chin Ho."

"Tony DiNozzo."

"So you know the bossman?" She asked conversationally.

"Used to, anyway. Haven't been in touch for years. I didn't know he'd left the Navy." He phrased the last statement as a question, hoping to get an answer to at least one of his silent musings.

The man in question walked over before she could respond, the blonde following behind him. His eyes seemed to linger on Tony for a second too long before he pulled them away. "We're ready to head out. Meet back at headquarters?"

The two nodded in agreement and moved to get back in the car. Steve turned to him and nodded his head at the Camaro. "You can ride with us."

"Uh. Actually, my rental is down at the bottom of the trail head."

"We'll make sure you get it later. We need you to come down and answer some questions first."

He thought about arguing the point, but decided it wasn't worth it. He could always take a cab back if things went south after the official interview was finished. He'd left his wallet back in his hotel room, but if worst came to worst, it was only about twenty miles back to his hotel from the car. He'd trekked longer distances before. He settled on shrugging and moved into the back seat as directed.

The first couple of minutes passed in silence. Tony settled on looking out the window and ignoring the eyes he could see from his peripheral vision watching him through the rear view mirror. It was Danny that broke it, as they hit the main road and merged with traffic. "So how do you two know each other?" He questioned, twisting in his seat so he could see both of them.

"Senior liked to vacation here when I was a kid. Steve and I met one year while I was here and we kept in touch. It was actually his dad that introduced us. How is John?" He asked turning to his ex. He'd been fairly close to the old man, even before he and Steve had gotten together and there'd be times over the years that he wished he could still go to the man for advice. He saw Steve's jaw clench but the man didn't answer. He wasn't sure if it was just the topic of conversation or something more, but he decided not to push. Danny side-eyeing him from the passenger seat helped reinforce that he should drop the subject as well.

The silence stretched again, more uncomfortable this time, and lasted until they parked. When he did speak up, the only thing he said was "Follow me," and then turned and walked into the building. They ended up outside an interview room, where Tony was directed to enter alone and then the door closed behind him.

"Really?" He said to the empty room, before sighing and moving to take the uncomfortable steel chair. As one hour turned to two, he moved to lay flat on the steel table, knees drawn up and the tread of his shoes keeping his legs in place comfortably. His elbows were lain comfortably on the table, with his hands resting loosely on his stomach. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift. He didn't fully fall asleep- it was only about ten in the morning after all, but he was able to lose track of time.

The door opening some time later caused his eyes to blink open. He let his legs drop over the edge and used the motion to pull his body into a sitting position. Surprisingly it wasn't Steve that entered, but Danny. "Sorry about the wait." He said somewhat unconvincingly. "Had some loose ends to tie up."

Tony didn't respond but did slide off the table and moved to retake the hellish seat. Danny sat across from him and set a file on the table before him. "This interview will be recorded. If you would like to say anything off the record, do so now." He stated, setting a small black speaker on the table between. He shook his head and Danny pushed the button on the device. A red light appeared.

"Please state your full name and date of birth for the record."

"Anthony Dominic DiNozzo Jr., born July 8th, 1971."

"Please give your versions of the events that led to you restraining suspect Robert Nelson earlier today on April 7th, 2011."

Very much used to the procedure, Tony have a recap of what happened, making sure to include off the details that could help with the case. When he was finished, the detective made an appreciative face and stated, "Thank you." In lieu of asking any follow up questions on the story itself.

"What brought you to Hawaii, Agent DiNozzo?"

"Ah, technically it's Mr. DiNozzo. I'm somewhat between jobs at the moment, agent status temporarily revoked." He joked with a crooked smile. "But to answer your question, I am here to figure out my next direction in life. It's been a while since I've visited."

The man frowned slightly, opening the file he'd brought with him into the room. "Your file has you listed as an active agent. We contacted your Director Vance to ensure you were not here as part of an operation. He informed us you were on personal leave, but didn't mention anything about you no longer being employed there. Care to explain that?" He looked back at Tony, tilting his head and waiting.

Tony frowned at him in return. "I'd love to, but I'd need an explanation myself before I could. I submitted my letter of resignation to the Director on March 23rd. I should not still have agent status."

Just then, the detectives phone rang. He held up a hand, reached out to pause the recording at answered it with a simple "Yeah," clearly knowing who was on the other side. He frowned at whatever was being said but said they were on their way and hung up. "Come with me, DiNozzo. It seems you have a phone call."

He frowned in confusion first, but quickly realized if they'd spoken to Vance it was very likely his location had spread through the agency already. He followed resignedly, not expecting to have to answer to anyone from NCIS until he was back on the mainland. In fact, he'd kept his phone off and batter removed since the airport, after withdrawing a substantial amount of money from his savings account so that he could pay for everything with cash.

Still, he followed obediently behind as the detective lead him to a large room filled with high tech equipment and surrounded with glass offices. He swept his eyes around the room quickly before locking on the large screen mounted to one wall. The man on the screen was the last person he would have expected, but he was a little amused to see Steve standing at attention off to the side.

"Sir?" He asked, walking to stand directly in front of the image.

The older man looked up from what he had been focusing on his desk.

"Ah, DiNozzo. Vacation treating you well?" He asked, setting down his pen and folding his hands in front of him as he settled more comfortably into his chair.

"I can't complain. I have to ask what this is about, I'm a little surprised to hear from you, Sir."

"Yes, well, I attempted to contact you upon hearing of your resignation, but when I realized you had disappeared without your phone and without leaving a paper trail, I decided to wait until you turned up on your own. Becoming involved in a murder investigation counts as turning up."

Tony smiled self-deprecatingly. "It seems to be my curse."

Jarvis smirked in return before drawing himself up. "I was disappointed when LeonF informed me of your resignation. I thought you would have a successful career within NCIS. Can I ask what drove you to this decision?"

"It was a combination of things." He answered simply, not trying to explain himself or disparage his old team. "I just feel that it's time for me to move on."

"And have you accepted any other job offers?"

"Not yet. I decided to take a vacation before deciding what I want to do next. Clear my head."

"I see. In that case, I would like to offer you an additional option to consider. I have had your resignation paperwork held until the end of your vacation hours and have declared you as being on personal leave. Currently, the Naples Branch is in need of an Assistant Director, the Singapore Field Office is looking for a leader of the MCRT and the Peral Harbor Field Office is looking for the same. If you stay with NCIS, you can have your pick." He finished, spreading his hands in emphasis. "Though, if you choose Singapore you will have to learn Malay. With your background in Mandarin, I have faith you can accomplish it."

Tony froze for several long seconds. "That's a very generous offer, Sir." He finally managed.

"I'm going to be blunt with you DiNozzo. You are one of our agencies best assets, and I would hate to lose you. Especially if you follow Tom over to Homeland Security, or worse- if you took Tobias up on his offer to join the Feebs." He grimaced at him and Tony laughed in response.

A knock drew Jarvis' attention away from the screen and he nodded at someone. "Look, I have a meeting to get to. Think about it. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you, Sir." He responded before SecNav broke the connection. Still, he continued to look at the blank screen, mind racing with the possibilities. He'd wondered what might have happened if he'd accepted the promotion in Rota, but he had known that the time wasn't right for him to leave. Now though? He hadn't considered staying at NCIS, not expecting to be offered another placement like that for years, if it all. And to have three options? A straight advancement to assistant director in Italy, or going back to team lead in Asia or Hawaii. He could move to Hawaii. The thought flashed through his mind but he pushed it down. If the conversation with Steve later went badly, the last thing he'd want to do is move to the island.

With that in mind, he turned to look at the others in the room. It was still quiet, all three of them watching him with various expressions on their faces. His eyes were drawn to Steve, as much as he tried to stop it, and he thought for a moment that Steve might have had that same thought. Their eyes locked for a long moment, and Steve was the one to look away. Tony didn't blame him, he knew he'd hurt the other man and it'd been so long they might both be completely different people. It was ridiculous to be thinking of it at this point and Tony almost wished Jarvis had waited to offer it. It might have been an easier decision if he knew how things were going to play out.

He cleared his throat. "So, were there any more questions, or am I free to go?" He asked. Steve looked at Danny to answer.

"You can go. But we need your contact information, and you can't leave the island until the investigation is concluded."

Steve stepped forward. "I'll give you a ride back to your car."

They were silent again as Steve led him out to a huge blue truck, and Tony was getting really sick of silence. When the truck started up he was surprised to see it was nearly three in the afternoon. His stomach grumbled and the hunger he'd been ignoring came back with a vengeance. He hadn't eaten anything yet today and he was definitely feeling it.

Steve glanced over at him and then down at the clock himself. He grimaced a bit. "We can stop and get some food on the way. Sorry you were there so long, the wind up took longer than I expected it to."

Tony shrugged it off. "Was the girl ok?" He asked instead.

"Oh yeah, she's fine. Happy to be back home."

"That's good." He trailed off again. "So, how have you been?" He asked eventually.

Steve glanced over at him again and shrugged. "I've been okay. You?"

Tony laughed slightly at the non-response. "Yeah. I've been okay too. So you left the Navy? I wouldn't have expected that."

"Reserves." He grunted out, before taking a break and continuing. "Some stuff went down and the governor offered me a place leading the task force she was creating. I accepted and transferred to the reserves. That was about three years ago."

"And you're happy with that?" He couldn't help but ask. The frequency Steve was deployed was one of the deciding factors in his refusing to move to the island. Despite that, he couldn't imagine asking the man to give that up. He loved being in the Navy, loved being a SEAL and Tony couldn't imagine him grounded.

"Yeah, actually. The job we do here is important. We've helped a lot of people."

"Yeah." Tony agreed.

"And you left NCIS?" Steve asked after a minute, as he pulled into the parking lot of the same shrimp truck he'd unknowingly met Danny at before. He wondered if Steve had been there that night, if he was part of the "we" Danny had mentioned.

"I did. Or, well, I thought I did. Now I'm not so sure."

"That was some offer." He commented.

"It was. I wasn't expecting it."

"Lot to think about." He turned the truck off but didn't move to get out.

"Yeah."

"C'mon." he reached out to casually knock against Tony's knee with the side of his hand. "My treat." He unbuckled and exited, and so Tony did the same, ignoring the sensation he could still feel thrumming through his leg.

They moved over to the window, the time of day leaving a small line to navigate.

"Hey, Kamekona, two plates of the spicy shrimp, please." He said, pulling his wallet from his pocket.

"Whow." The large man joked, reaching to accept the money. "I didn't even know you had a wallet, braddah."

"You're hilarious." He responded drolly, moving away to take a seat at the table furthest away from the other guests.

"Don't tell him I said so," Steve began once they were seated, "But this is some of the best shrimp on the island."

"I ate here a few days ago. I actually saw Danny, ironically enough."

"Oh yeah? When was that?"

Tony thought back for a second. "Uh, Wednesday? At dusk."

"Huh, must have just missed you then."

"Must have." He agreed.

They made small talk for the next couple of minutes until a slightly smaller but similar looking man brought them their plates. "Thanks, Flippa." Steve said.

"Enjoy, braddah!"

"You must eat here a lot." Tony observed as they dug in. He moaned slightly at the taste, wanting to savor it more but his stomach wasn't having it and he ate several bites in quick succession.

"Kamekona and Flippa are Ohana."

"Speaking of, you never answered about John. I was thinking about stopping in on him before I leave. Do you think he would mind?"

Steve froze, bite halfway to his mouth. He lowered the fork instead and took a breath. "Tony, my dad is dead. He was murdered three years ago."

Tony felt his face pale and felt cold. "God, Steve, I'm so sorry. Three years- was that part of the stuff that went down?"

Steve nodded silently, jaw clenched and knuckles white from the tight grip he had on the fork. Tony reached out and touched the hand lightly. Steve looked up at him. "I really am sorry." He had to swallow tightly to get the words out. "John was one of the best men I've met. The world is worse off without him."

Steve's face contorted and he looked back down at his plate. "Yeah." He finally agreed. "He loved you, you know. Told me letting you go was the worst mistake of my life."

"I loved him too." He said, voice tight.

"He didn't have to tell me though, you know? I already knew."

It took Tony a second to unscramble his brain to catch the meaning, but when he did his breath caught. Steve still wasn't looking at him and was clearly finished speaking.

Tony chose to take another bite as he thought over his response, and was happy to see that Steve went back to eating too.

They were both finished before Tony spoke up again. "I second guessed myself after I turned you down. I rolled everything over in my head so much it about drove me crazy. I…" He licked his lip and steeled himself. "I loved you." His voice was quiet and somber. "I don't know what I was expecting to happen, maybe I thought things could just stay the same. When you started to pull away I figured you just needed time. I thought things would get back to normal. When you were deployed and told me not to wait for you, I was beside myself. I was for months actually. I didn't, I wouldn't, even know if you were killed in action. I wouldn't have the right to know. That was hard, even when I found out you were back on American soil. I kept hoping you might try to call or get a hold of me, but at the same time I couldn't bring myself to try and call you."

Steve let out a bitter laugh of his own. "I wish you would have." He said simply.

"Yeah, so do I." he whispered back.

Their eyes met again. "Do you want to go for a walk?" Steve asked, gesturing towards the beach.

"Sounds good."

They stood together, tossing away their garbage and ambling into the sand side by side. They'd made it quite a ways down the beach before they spoke again.

"So," Steve started, pausing to turn towards the water. "Are you seeing anyone?" He didn't turn to look at him, seeming to steel himself for the next part of the conversation.

Tony moved to stand beside him, hands tucked into the pockets of the shorts. "No, I'm not. You?"

"No."

Steve took a deep breath. "How much longer are you on 'vacation' for?"

"About five weeks."

"And how long do you think you'll have before Secretary Jarvis wants an answer?"

"Hard to say. A week, maybe?"

Steve turned towards him suddenly, stepping right into his space, seeming larger than life and holding his entire focus. "Then give me a week." He demanded passionately.

"What?" Tony asked, taking an aborted half step back in surprise.

"Give me a week to convince you."

"Convince me to what? To take the Pearl Harbor job?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes. No, seriously, think about it. So maybe the time wasn't right for us before. You were focused on your career and I was wrapped up in the SEALs. We just, kept missing each other. But now, I'm back on the island full time and your career can bring you here. We're both single, we've both matured. This might be it, Tony."

Tony stared at him, unable to dispute anything he was saying. And if he were honest with himself, it was everything he wanted to hear. But to actually hear it, to actually be standing in front of the man that stalked his every waking thought for months after they broke up, it was intimidating.

He could see Steve start to shut down as the silence drug on and it wasn't what he wanted. The other man had put himself out there for Tony before and been denied. He never expected the man to do it again, to give him the time of day, and yet here he was, asking for a second chance. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he hurt the man again. He knew he needed to work past is own issues, knew his trust issues were enough to topple an elephant but he had to try. It was Steve, he was worth… everything. He gave up on trying to find the right words and stepped forward instead. He did not allow himself to hesitate any more as he leaned up to cross the slight gap in their height and pressed his lips cautiously against the weather chapped ones before him.

Steve moved forward to grasp his hips, holding onto him tightly and clenching his eyes shut. He returned the chaste kiss, and the one after, and the one after that. They stood there for several long moments, reveling in the closeness and honestly both a little afraid to pull back and end the moment.

When they finally did, they didn't go far. Steve pressed his forehead to Tony's and breathed deep. "Give me a week. I promise I can be better." He pleaded a final time in a whisper, pulling back to press his lips against Tony's sun-lightened hairline.

Tony nodded. "A week." He agreed. His lips stretched into a happy smile. He pressed hips lips to Tony's once again, quickly, and then pulled away to grab his hand. He began pulling him back towards his truck and Tony followed with a relieved laugh.

"Where are we going?" He asked, quickening his pace to catch up.

"I'm taking you back to your car. Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? No, not really."

"Great. So I'll take you back to your car, and then you should have an early night. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"Is it?" He asked, amusement growing. Some people would be annoyed at how quickly Steve could turn a goal into a muli-step mission, complete with sub-goals and parameters, but it had always been something that Tony found endearing.

"Yeah." He replied happily, forging ahead. "It's gonna be great." They reached the parking lot much quicker than it had taken them to get to their spot and Steve ignored the looks he received from several people at the shrimp stand. Tony nodded to Steve's team as they passed them, but didn't think the other man had noticed their presence.

They went directly to his truck and he started it and pulled out immediately. Tony sat back and enjoyed the view and the peaceful feeling coursing through him. They pulled into the small parking area at the trail head. Steve shut off his truck, unbuckled his seat belt and twisted in his seat to face Tony. His focused energy softened as he looked at him and he leaned forward slowly for a long, drawn out kiss.

Tony pulled back eventually and smiled at him. "I'm going to head back to my hotel and let you work out whatever little scheme is churning around in your head right now. You know where I'm staying, I'll be in my room whenever you're ready."

Steve's lips rolled in as an attempt to stop the sappy smile he could feel coming. He nodded, forcing back the words that he felt bubbling up. It was definitely too soon for that, but the other man was just so damn perfect. He wouldn't let him go this time. He refused. He pecked his lips one more time and then turned back in his seat and started the truck.

Tony got the hint and opened his door with a laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow." He stated, and it felt so good to say it.

"Tomorrow." Steve repeated with a grin. Tony shut the door and Steve took off immediately. He headed back to his rental and made his way back to the hotel. He indulged in a lengthy swim in the hotel pool and then retired to his room. He ordered room service, enjoyed a glass of scotch as desert and watched one of his favorite movies before retiring early. The combination of the crazy day and the scotch allowed him to call asleep quickly, despite his anticipation.

Lucky he did, because he was awaken at just past three in the morning by knocking on his door. He sat up and rubbed his eyes as he stumbled out of the bed. He pulled his boxer briefs and t-shirt on from where they rested on the chair beside the bed and then made his way across the room. He pulled the door open as he was ruffling his hair and squinted out into the brightness of the hallway. "Steve?" He mumbled, standing aside. "It's three in the morning. What's going on?"

The man flipped the light on mercilessly and then pressed a kiss to his forehead. He also pressed a large hot travel cup of coffee into his hand. "Get dressed, it's time to go."

"What?" He repeated helplessly, taking it automatically and bringing it to his face to smell. The smell was amazing and the scalding sip he took even more so. It was perfect, sweetened with hazelnut exactly the way he liked. His eyes popped open with the thought. "You remember how I take my coffee?" he asked amazed.

"Of course I do." He brushed it off like it was a given. He hid the resulting smile behind the cup, suddenly feeling much more awake and energetic. He moved to the dresser and pulled open a drawer.

"What should I wear?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Swim trunks and a tee are good."

He grabbed a pair of black trunks and a white one of the light weight, short sleeve button ups he preferred over t-shirts. He moved to the bathroom to perform his morning absolutions and to take a quick shower to finish waking up. He exited the room ten minutes later, much more prepared and looking forward to whatever it was they were doing. He reclaimed his coffee, happy to note it had cooled to a more agreeable temperature and sat to pull on his shoes. He tucked his sunglasses into his shirt for later and stood.

Steve hustled him out the door and down to his truck. The roads were nearly deserted at the hour and they made great time in heading to the harbor. Steve parked and hopped out. Tony followed as he led him to a boat docked nearby. "Is this your boat?" He asked the man as they boarded.

"Nah, it belongs to Chin's uncle. He lets me take it out when it's docked and he's on the mainland right now."

"Oh, nice." He replied, allowing Steve to press him down into a seat and prepare to set off. "Do you need help with anything?"

"No, everything is pretty much ready. I was here before I came to get you."

Tony looked over at him in surprise. "Did you sleep at all last night?" he asked jokingly.

"I slept a bit." The man replied, unfazed and focused on his task.

Tony raised his brow but didn't press. Savoring another slow sip of his coffee as they pressed out into the open water. Once they were clear, Steve increased the speed so that they were moving at a fair pace through the calm water, lit by the full moon and stars above. "It's gonna be about a three-hour trip, so get comfortable." Steve called to him over the sound of the rushing air.

Tony nodded and settled in to finish the cup. Once it was finished he rose to join Steve at the wheel. He stood beside him, looking ahead and breathing in salty air. He looked up to see Steve watching him and smiled in reply, stepping slightly closer. In response, he let go of the wheel with his right arm and used it to pull the slightly smaller man in front of him. He reached forward to grab the wheel, remembering the last time they had been in a similar position. Steve let go completely and wrapped both arms around him as well, holding him tightly to his chest and trusting Tony to keep them moving in a straight line.

They stood that way for the next two hours. When an island appeared in the distance Steve reluctantly let go to take back control of the wheel and maneuver them through the reefs to shore. Once anchored, he moved to the small dingy secured to the back of the boat and held out his hand to help Tony step down.

Tony had spent a lot of time on boats as a kid and didn't need the hand, but he took it regardless. They sped the rest of the way to shore as the first rays of color began to spread across the sky. "We're not there quite yet." Steve explained, shouldering his backpack and drawing them further inland. They climbed quickly and Tony was grateful for all the running and hiking he'd been doing since arriving since he wasn't sure he'd have been able to keep up with the fit specimen setting the pace a month ago.

The small animal trail they followed broke free of the tree cover to expose a rocky outcropping that looked out over the ocean. They slowed to a stop and Steve quickly dropped to open his backpack. He pulled out a small blanket and spread it over the ground. He gestured to Tony, who to a seat as directed. Steve seated himself immediately after and began pulling other things from the bag. They ended up with a variety of fruits, nuts and a small block of cheese spread between them. Following that, he removed a plastic container of fresh squeezed orange juice and a thermos that apparently had more of the wonderful coffee. He also removed a knife from the pocket of his own swim trunks.

The crazy journey, early hike and impromptu picnic coupled with the sunrise they now had a prime view of was such a Steve date that he felt choked up. They sat together, nibbling on the fresh breakfast and sipping liquid magic as they watched the sun rise over the small, uninhabited island.

When they were finished and the sun had fully risen, they stood and packed up the mess. They headed further inland, though descending rather than climbing. They walked for a good two hours, the air warming around them, before they reached their destination. They eventually came to a waterfall that must have risen a couple hundred feet and formed a large pool where it fell.

Steve dropped the backpack then, moving to pull his shirt over his head. He toed off his shoes and socks and then jumped into the water without a word. Tony watched him fondly and followed more slowly. He seated himself on the edge of the pool rather than jumping in and enjoyed the sight of Steve cutting through the water like a human shaped fish. Steve popped up in front of him and wrapped chilly hands around his still dry back of his knees. He jumped at the sensation and Steve used the movement to pull him into the water.

Tony gasped as the cool water surrounded his exertion warmed flesh and found himself clinging to the other man with his legs wrapped around his hips and arms around his strong shoulders. Steve wrapped his arms around him in return with a laugh. His eyes were sparkling when they met and Tony could see the same disbelieving joy he felt himself to be in the situation.

Tony darted forward to peck the side of his mouth and then used his legs and a wiggle of his body to twist Steve down and under the water. He swam away with a laugh but was nowhere near the swimmer that Steve was and he was caught quickly.

They stayed in the pool until they started to feel hungry again and then packed up and headed back to the beach. When the reached the dingy, Steve moved to free the waterproof bag that was submerged at the side of it. From it came the makings for sandwiches, along with a bag of fresh veggies and a plastic bottle of ice tea. They ate on the beach and then spent the afternoon snorkeling along the rocky coves surrounding them.

When they were finally ready to head back, they were both ready to settle down and relax. The trip home progressed in much the same way as the trip out had and the two men felt much more settled and comfortable with each other. It almost felt as if the last decade hadn't existed, and they slipped back into familiarity they'd had all those years ago.

Logically, Tony knew it was foolish to fall back in so quickly, but it just felt so natural. The sun was setting when they reached the marina and they leisurely made their way back to the truck. They stopped for food on the way back to his hotel and ate in the truck. Steve walked Tony to his room, but did not try and enter.

He pressed him back against the door and nuzzled his face into the crook of Tony's neck. "I have to go into work for a few hours tomorrow to make up for taking today off. Would you want to come to my place for grilled steaks and a movie?" He asked from his resting place.

Tony smiled and nuzzled him back slightly. "That sounds perfect." Steve pulled back to place a slow, leisurely kiss on his lips.

"Do you remember how to get there?"

"Yeah, I should be okay. What time do you want me to come?

"Humm, how about four?"

"I'll be there." He promised.

Dinner the next night went just as well. Tony arrived promptly at 4:00, chilled six pack in hand. They spent the time that the food was cooking in comfortable conversation and ate on the lanai. After dinner they moved inside and watched Pulp Fiction. When that one was over they watched A Beautiful Mind and then Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The following day Steve's team caught a case and he was busy until late. Luckily, they closed it quickly and he was free on Saturday. Tony traveled to Steve's house again and was surprised to see the silver Camaro out front. He shrugged it off and knocked on the door.

It was opened seconds later and Steve's smiling, if tired, face greeted him. "What's all this?" Steve asked, leaning forward to talk half the bags and to press a kiss against his hairline.

"I figured you'd be tired after how late your case whet. Thought I'd cook you dinner tonight. But if you have company, I can come back another time?"

"Uh, no Danny just came over to watch the basketball game. Warriors vs Cavaliers. I can ask him to leave if you want?" He paused and shook his head. "No question, I'll tell him." He turned and started to head to the living room but Tony stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"It's fine. Plenty of food for three, if you don't mind?"

The smile Steve shot at him showed that he clearly didn't have a problem with that. "Nah. Danny's around a lot, it'll be good for you guys to get to know each other. You know, outside of an investigation."

"Ha ha." Tony said in response, moving towards the kitchen.

"So what'd you bring?" Steve asked eagerly, trying to peer into the bags.

"Well I know how you feel about pasta, so I went with Chicken Cacciatore, stuffed tomatoes and a fresh salad, and then Zabaglione with berries for dessert."

"Mmmm" he moaned in response. "I've missed your cacciatore." He said, setting the bags on the counter.

"Ordered it at a restaurant once, but it wasn't close to the same. Haven't tried since."

Tony turned to look at him in amusement. "That's sweet." He teased, moving closer.

"Mmmm" he hummed leaning down for a real kiss now that both of their hands were empty. "Hi." He said when he pulled back.

"Hi, yourself." Tony replied with his hand resting on the taller man's chest.

"STEVE! GAMES STARTING!" The Jersey native shouted from the other room.

"Go ahead, I'll be out in a few."

"Ok." He said easily, leaning forward for one more kiss. "Holler if you need anything."

Tony got the cold ingredients put away, it being too early to start cooking, and then joined the two men in the living room. Danny was sitting in the chair and Tony took the seat beside Steve on the couch.

"Agent DiNozzo." The detective greeted him when he sat. "Good to see you again."

"Ah, please, call me Tony." He replied with a friendly smile.

"Danny." He said in reply, before his attention was drawn back to the television and he started yelling at the game. The evening passed amicably. Tony eventually made his way back to the kitchen to start cooking, and once the game was over the other two men joined him. They settled on the bar stools and accepted the glasses of wine that Tony handed them. The conversation started talking about the game, but quickly moved onto a number of other subjects. Though Tony was from Long Island and not Jersey, the found they still had a lot in common.

They finished the first bottle of wine before the food was ready, and the bottle of Chianti Classico with the food. They moved back to the living room for the Zabaglione and the bottle of Vin Santo. By the time they were finished, all three were a little tipsy and Steve commanded both to sleep at his house.

Without fully realizing it, Tony wound up stripped to his briefs and laying in Steve's bed. It was the scent that was getting to him the most- the combination of Steve's shampoo, aftershave and cologne were embedded in the fabric and when Steve gathered him up in his arms the familiarity and longing that resounded though him was so intense he didn't think he could stand it.

It was silent for a long time and Tony thought the other man had fallen asleep. He was surprised when he spoke up, voice barely audible despite the quiet of the night. "Are you awake?" He whispered against his head. Tony forced his breathing to remain even and his body relaxed.

"I didn't know if was possible to miss someone so much until you left. I know it was stupid to ask you to move here when I was hardly ever even here myself. It was selfish, and I don't blame you for saying no. But I love you so much, even still, I feel like I can't breathe sometimes. I've tried to move on, to date other people, but no one compares. You've spoiled me for everyone else. However this goes, however it ends, you're it for me, babe. There's never going to be anyone else as perfect for me as you are." He stopped talking and pressed his lips against Tony and breathed in deep.

The next day, when Tony was back in the privacy of his hotel room, he called SecNav and accepted the Pearl Harbor posting. He hadn't told Steve yet, and he wasn't sure exactly how it was all going to play out, but he was sure he wanted to stay. He wanted to give him and Steve another chance. And when he hung up the phone and felt all the lingering stress of the team back in DC, and having to return to the mainland and his empty apartment, and go through job offers so that he could start his life all over- _again_ , He felt like he was coming home, and it was a feeling he'd been looking for all his life.

 _END_


	2. Chapter 2

Ka Wā Hoʻokahi Puka e Pani (When One Door Closes)

Three days after accepting the posting at Pearl Harbor, his phone ringing woke him in the middle of the night. He'd turned it back on both in case Five-0 needed to contact about the investigation, but also for ease of contact with Steve. He answered it without looking at the screen or even opening his eyes.

"'Nozzo." He murmured, face still pressed against his pillow.

"Hey, it's me. Sorry to wake you." Steve's voice was quiet, though Tony could hear the commotion of a bag being packed in the background.

"No problem. What's up?" He asked, forcing his eyes open and sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"I know we had plans today, and I know it's my last day to convince you to stay, but we've gotten called out to Maui for a case. It sounds like it's going to be pretty bad and I'm not sure when we're gonna be back."

"Okay." Tony replied simply. And to him it was that simple. He knew the job, knew how important the work they did was and knew how consuming it could be when it came to having a personal life. He couldn't begrudge the man for doing his job, no matter how many plans they had to cancel. He was sure when he went back to work the same thing would happen because of him sooner or later, and he knew Steve would be just as understanding. It was one of the really great perks that he could see coming from Steve's career change.

"You're not upset? I was gonna try and swing by and see you on my way to the airport, but there isn't time."

"Of course I'm not upset. I'll be here when you get back." He promised.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about me, go save the day." He joked, rubbing his eyes.

"Alright." He murmured softly. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Kay. See you soon."

"See you soon." Steve repeated before they hung up.

Tony dropped heavily back to the bed, phone falling to rest beside him. Still, he didn't fall back asleep, but rather started thinking about what he'd do with the day instead. He should start looking at properties on the island, and the sooner the better so that he could stop paying for the pricy hotel room. He should probably also call back to DC and start getting things set up for the move.

He glanced over at the clock to see it was 4:30, so it would be 10:30 back in DC. He picked his phone back up off the bed and reached over to switch on the light. He hit speed dial 6 and raised it to rest against his ear. The phone rang long enough he thought it was going to voicemail

The phone clicked, but instead of the recording he heard "Palmer."

"Jimmy, hey! It's Tony. Do you have a minute?"

"Uhh, one second please." The man replied. Tony heard him moving through what must have been autopsy and into his little office.

"It's good to hear from you." The other man stated after the sound of the door shutting reached him. "You left quite the mess behind."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Just had to get away, you know?"

"I don't blame you there. So what's up?"

"I uh, got a promotion. I'm going to leading the MCRT here in Hawaii. I'm not starting for another month, but I want to start getting things moved over here."

"Congratulations!" The younger man exclaimed, real happiness in his voice for Tony. "That's fantastic!"

"Yeah, it is." He said, smiling at the ceiling. "But I have a huge favor to ask you."

"Name it." He replied without hesitation.

"I'm spending today house hunting. I'm planning to fly back in about two weeks to get things packed up and shipped over, so that everything is settled before I start working. You still have a spare key to my place?"

"Sure do."

"Do you think you and Breena could head over there and start packing up the stuff in the living room and kitchen? I own the place outright, and figured I'd just rent it out as a furnished apartment. It's cheaper to buy new furniture here than to have mine shipped out. But I was hoping you guys could get the movies and things packed up and then take some pictures so I can list it? I know it's a lot to ask, but I'll take you out to dinner when I'm back! Anywhere you want." He wheedled, hopeful.

"Well, I'd have done it without the bribe, but I'll take you up on it anyway!"

"Ah, you're the best, Jimmy. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Yeah, yeah." The man joked. "You don't have to keep buttering me up, I already said yes."

They talked for a couple more minutes before they hung up. Tony was relieved to know the friendship he'd built with autopsy gremlin still held true, despite his disappearing act. Having the living room and kitchen done before he arrive would be a huge help. He honestly didn't want to spend any more time there than he had to, and was hoping a weekend trip would suffice. All's he'd have to do would be to pack up his bedroom and the bathroom, and then arrange for the movers to take over.

The piano would be a pain, but he wouldn't leave it behind. He'd also have to arrange for his car to be shipped over, and he'd need to have his money transferred to a bank on the island. With so much to do, he headed to the shower to start his day early.

He killed as much time in his room as he could before headed down to the hotel restaurant for a light breakfast and then onword to a local real estate office to start his house hunt once they were open. There wasn't much availability, he found out quickly, and properties bought and sold quickly once they were on the market. He had pretty substantial savings, and his Paddington Trust Fund from his Mother to fall back on if nothing else, so he wasn't worried about the deposit. The price tags still made him cringe a bit, but that was the expected price to pay for a piece of paradise, he supposed.

The agent, a woman named Carla, did not waste any time and had him out looking at properties within the hour. They looked at six different homes before he found one he liked. It wasn't on the water, but had a great view of it, and a deck that ran all the way around the house. It was only one story, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It had a large kitchen, a small dining room and a nice sided living room. It also had a great outdoor space, with a large fire pit built into the yard and plenty of room if he decided to get a dog.

Its price tag was in the $400,000 range, and the $80,000 check he wrote for the deposit was a little painful, but he knew the jump in pay would allow him to build the account back up. And who knew, if things with he and Steve continued to go as well as they were, he might end up moving in with the man eventually anyway and could sell for a profit or possibly rent it out as he was planning to do with his apartment. In addition, making the full deposit secured the home from other buyers, and would also make it so his payments were less than $1500 a month. All in all, he was pleased with the purchase.

The paperwork took most of the afternoon, and he felt pretty drained by the time he headed back to his hotel. He'd start shopping for new furniture the next day and could hopefully start moving in that weekend (it being Wednesday).

Part of him wanted to call Steve and tell him about it right away, but he didn't want to throw him off when he was working a case. He still hadn't told him he'd accepted the job offer and knew he'd need to soon, before he got much deeper in the move. Instead, he went for a run along the beach at sunset and then settle in with more room service and a movie.

Steve was still in Maui the next day, so Tony spent the day shopping, and arranged for all the furniture he purchased to be delivered on Friday. They'd talked briefly that morning, but Steve had sounded strained and the call was short.

Friday found Tony at the new house as the sun was rising, ready to greet the movers and to spend the day assembling furniture. His bed arrived first and was sent to the master bedroom. His new leather sofa and loveseat were next, followed by the entertainment center, dining room set and patio set to go around the fire pit.

When six o'clock came around he headed back to the hotel to retrieve his belongings and check out of the room. It was odd to return to the house, odd to think of having a house of his own on the island. When he'd been younger, he'd always stayed at the McGarrett house or at a hotel. It was definitely a new experience, but he was looking forward to having his own space again, rather than living out of a hotel.

He was just getting ready to stop for a pizza when his phone rang. "Hey, you." He said happily when he answered it.

"Hey, yourself." Steve replied, sounding exhausted. Still, a pleased note was clear in his voice. "We just landed at the airport. What are you doing right now?"

"Ah," Tony said, looking around. "Getting ready to order a pizza. You hungry? I can get two."

"Starving." He said heartfelt. "Do you want to come to mine, or do you want me to meet you at the hotel?"

"Well, actually, I have a little something else in mind. I'll text you the address."

"Okay?" he asked curiously.

"Trust me, you'll like it. But hey babe, I have to go, I'm next in line. I'll see you in a few."

They hung up and Tony moved forward to order a large meat pizza and a large Hawaiian. He stopped at the store on the way back to his new house and grabbed both a six pack and a bottle of champagne. He'd just made it inside and set everything down when he heard the rumble of Steve's beastly truck pull up.

He walked back outside to see the man hop down, looking around curiously. He smiled when he noticed Tony walking towards him and began walking towards him in turn.

"What's all this?" He asked after they kissed hello.

Tony smiled mischievously and led him inside. They entered the still largely empty house and came to stand in the archway between the kitchen and living room. "Welcome to my new home." Tony said simply, spreading his hands out and gesturing around them. He watched as a whole slew of emotions crossed the other man's face. The confusion came first, but only lasted a split second. It was followed by realization, disbelief, excitement, happiness, more confusion and then settle somewhere between euphoria and disappointment.

"So you accepted the job?" He asked first, voice odd.

"I did." He paused before continuing. "I actually accepted it about five days ago, but hadn't figured out how I wanted to tell you and then well, I haven't had the chance."

"And you, bought..? A house?" He questioned next, taking a step closer.

"I did."

The man wrapped his muscular arms around Tony's slightly smaller frame, pulling him close. He pressed his lips against his ear and spoke quietly. "I'm very happy you decided to stay."

Tony pulled back to look at him, frowning slightly at the lack of excitement in his voice.

"Are you?" he questioned cautiously. "You don't sound very happy."

"No, I am. I'm thrilled, I just.."

"Just?"

"I don't know, I guess I just pictured you moving in with me."

"Steve…"

"No, don't. I'm sorry. I'm thrilled you're moving here. Just forget about it."

"Babe." He stated firmly. "As nice as that sounds, you can't honestly think it's a good idea?"

Steve pulled away, shoulders hunching defensively, and turned away to walk over to the large windows.

"That's not- I didn't mean that how it sounded." Tony backtracked.

"Yeah, you did." Steve's voice was bitter. He sighed heavily through his nose and reached up to rub harshly at his forehead. "Look, I'm probably not the best company right now. I'll just, I'll call you tomorrow." He walked over to Tony, kissed him briskly on the forehead and left without another word. Tony was left standing in the middle of the room, the smell of hot pizza wafting towards him and the bottle of champagne gathering condensation on the counter.

As excited as he'd been to spend the first night in the house, he slept terribly. He gave up and was pounding the pavement just before five the next morning. He pushed himself the entire journey, forcing his legs to move faster and faster, to press on regardless of the muscle burn or his aching lungs. When he finally stopped he was gasping for breath, chest on fire and the sensation of suffocating teasing the edge of his conscious.

He should probably find a pulmonologist on the island, he realized as he focused on forcing slow, controlled breaths in and out of his chest. He pressed a hand against his diaphragm to better gage his chest wall movement. It was a trick he'd learned to use when he'd got to the point he couldn't reliably judge his breathing by feel alone. He'd been feeling so good since arriving on the island he'd neglected the precautions he knew he had to take- such as acknowledging his own limits when it came to activity like running.

It took almost ten minutes to get back to his baseline and he felt exhausted when it was over. He pushed himself up from where he'd gone to his knees and began to trek back home. He picked up a slow jog when he felt more steady, but the journey home to nearly three times as long as the journey away had.

The truck parked in his driveway shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did. Nor should Steve sitting on the stairs of the deck. The man looked up as he came closer. He must have looked as bad as he felt, because the soldier quickly pushed himself to his feet, a frown of concern overtaking his brooding features. "What's wrong?" He demanded, once Tony was close enough.

Tony waved him away. "Nothing's wrong. Just over did it." He said, walking past him to unlock the door.

The frown didn't disappear, and the looming Navy SEAL might as well have been pressed against his back as close as he hovered on the way inside. "I tried to call. You weren't answering."

"Left my phone here. Wasn't expecting you to be this early." He stopped to toe off his shoes and moved to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He stood there, taking slow and steady sips until the bottle was empty. He tossed it into the bag he dedicated to recycling until he got bins and then headed towards his bedroom. He allowed it as Steve followed him into that room as well but put up a hand to block him when the man tried to follow him into the bathroom. "I'm just going to hop in the shower. I'll be out in a few." He moved back and shut the door firmly behind himself.

It was only when he was alone that he allowed himself to slump down to sit on the closed toilet lid. His eyes closed and his head tilted forward, and he stayed that way for a long minute. He forced himself to his feet before Steve could start to wonder why the shower wasn't running.

The cool water helped reenergize him and he felt much better when he stepped out sometime later. Steve had vacated his bedroom and he was able to dress in peace. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to find when he exited the room, and that uncertainty helped reinforce his certainty that it was better to have his own home- at least for the time being.

He headed down the small hallway slowly and was hit with the wonderful sent of fresh ground coffee brewing. As he came to the arch, he could see Steve cooking omelets, fresh fruit already cut up on the counter and a new French press sitting proudly on his counter, a green bow pressed crookedly on top and the chamber already filled with coffee. He must have had the supplies with him already, Tony realized.

He crossed his arms as he leaned casually against the wall, watching Steve quietly. He hadn't taken in what he was wearing before, but the man was dressed in a tight white t-shirt, with a short sleeve charcoal colored button up worn open over the top of it, fitted dark wash jeans and his normal black boots. He looked delicious.

Steve carefully set the omelets onto two plates and finally turned around to look at him. He moved over towards the island and set them both down, and then continued around until he was standing in front of Tony. He reached up and ran the tips of his fingers against the shorter mans' jawline, and then leaned forward to press a light kiss against the same spot. Tony allowed it, but didn't react beyond following him with his eyes.

His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he started talking. "I'm an ass." He said first, to which Tony only raised a brow. "You were right, it would be stupid for us to jump right to living together. I know we need to get to know each other again, that we've both changed since we were together before. I'm just so happy that you're here. I never thought I'd get the chance to see you again, to hold you, and now that you're really here I'm having a hard time restraining myself from grabbing on and never letting you go." He tried to joke off the end, but Tony could hear the truth below the façade.

Tony dropped his arms slowly, pushing himself off the wall and stepping forward. "Trust me, acting like that's not the way you get to keep me."

"I know." Steve replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven. And I'm sorry too. I probably shouldn't have sprung it on you like that, not when you'd been up for nearly three days straight and were coming off a rough case. I just wanted you to be as happy as I was."

"I am!" He professed. "Can we just…" He trailed off, grabbing Tony's elbow and shuffling him out of the house and onto the front deck.

"Steve, I don't have shoes on. What are you doing?" He said as his bare feet his the grass that covered his yard.

The other man ignored him, continuing to back them up until they stood in roughly the same position as they had the night before when Steve had arrived. Once satisfied, he pressed a sweet kiss against his lips and then said, "So what's all this?" in a rendition of their previous conversation.

Tony couldn't help but smile. He shook his head. "You're lucky you're cute." He said instead and then reached out and took the other mans gun calloused hand. "Come on, I'll show you my new house." He gave the other man a tour, showing the bedrooms and pointing out where he was going to put the piano once it arrived.

They finally returned to the kitchen to eat the cooling food, but neither cared as they ate standing side by side over the island. After, Tony finished dressing and the two headed out to do some more shopping for the house. He really needed to get things for the kitchen and bathroom, and to do some real grocery shopping. He also needed to get a washer and dryer now that he'd left the laundry services of the hotel.

When they finally arrived back it was closer to dinner than to lunch, and Tony was grateful for Steve's large truck bed to haul everything they'd gotten. They popped the untouched pizzas from the night before into the oven to heat up, and then opened the bottle of champagne. They sipped it out of the new glassware he'd just purchased as they worked together to put away the rest of the new dishes and cooking utensils and to decide where and how to organize everything. Tony was pretty particular about how his kitchen was set up, but they had it done before too long. They headed to the living room next to set up the tv and various electronics that went along with it.

Once done with that, they pulled open the boxes to put together the bar stools and couple of cabinets he'd purchased. Eventually, there was nothing left to put away and they settled into the couch with a DVD playing on the TV. They ended up with Steve sitting on one side with Tony laying across the other cushions and resting his head on Steve's muscular thigh. It wasn't the squishiest of pillows, but was comfortable all the same.

The restless night before, early exertion, day of shopping and then the warm comfortable feelings suffusing him made it so he quickly drifted off to sleep. He woke what must have been hours later to see the TV off and Steve still acting as his pillow. The other man was still awake and looked down at him when he shifted. "Hey." Tony said, voice rough. "Sorry. What time is it?"

Steve looked down at his phone that was sitting beside him on the arm of the couch. "Just after midnight." He responded softly.

"Why didn't you wake up me?" He asked, pulling himself into a seated position. He glanced over to see Steve watching him with a soft look on his face.

"I didn't mind." He shrugged.

"You didn't mind me trapping you on the couch for hours with nothing to do?" He joked tiredly.

"No, I didn't."

Tony smiled at him. "We should probably go to bed."

"Probably," Steve agreed. He stood up and stretched and then reached down go give Tony a hand up. Once they were both on their feet, he squeezed the shorter man's hand softly before letting go and moving towards his shoes.

"You could stay you know." Tony offered after watching him for a second. When Steve looked back at him, he raised a hand to rustle his sleep mussed hair. "It's already pretty late. If you want to, I mean. You don't have to."

"Oh, I definitely want to. Just, are you sure you don't mind?"

"I don't mind."

Steve set his boots back on the floor and moved back over to him. "Let's go to bed then." He rumbled. Tony smiled at him in turn and they made their way down to the bedroom. When they settled down to sleep, Tony lay sprawled out half on his stomach, partially on his right side, with his left knee drawn up comfortably in front of him. Steve molded himself against Tony's back, arm wrapped around him and hand resting over the other man's heart. They fell asleep quickly and neither woke again until sunlight was shining brightly through the windows.

Steve woke first and spent a long time luxuriously enjoying the feeling of the other man in his arms. After a long while, he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to the sleep warmed skins of Tony's neck. The first kiss turned to another and then another as he slowly moved up to nuzzle under his stubbly jaw.

Tony woke slowly at the sensation. He tilted his head back to give the man better access and let out a huff of contentment. "Go'd morning." He mumbled softly to the silent room.

"Good morning." Steve replied, and Tony could feel the words as lips moved against his flesh.

Tony hummed softly and rolled onto his back. He reached up to run a hand through the side of Steve's hair, and used the light grip to pull him down into a chaste kiss. He scratched lightly at Steve's scalp, remembering that the man used to like that. The purr like response drew another smile from him and he deepened the kiss, morning breath not even given a thought.

They kissed softly for several long moments and Tony was a little uncomfortable to feel another part of himself stirring awake. That discomfort disappeared when Steve shifted and he felt an answering harness brush against his leg. He shifted again, and repositioned himself to rest between Tony's legs. He pulled away from Tony's lips and began trailing his mouth down his jaw line, his neck and then his chest. He went slow enough that Tony could easily have stopped him from going further if he wanted to, but that was the last thing he wanted to do.

When Steve's mouth wrapped around his sensitive flesh sometime later, Tony thought he might actually die. He'd forgotten how tenacious the man could be, and how long he could hold his breath for. He finished embarrassingly fast, it having been a long time since anything but his own hand was in that particular hemisphere, but the smugly pleased smirk on Steve's face erased any feelings of embarrassment pretty quickly.

Tony leaned down and drew the man into a deeper, filthier, kiss. He tasted himself on the other mans lips and reached down to tease at his waistband, but was surprised when Steve caught his wrist. "That's, ah, not necessary." He said, voice like gravel. He released Tony's wrist and leaned over the edge of the bed to retrieve his discarded shirt. When he wiped his other hand on the material Tony understood what had happened. He dropped his head back with a hapless moan at the thought of the other man jacking himself off while giving him head. It was an extremely arousing thought, but unfortunately his body couldn't bounce back like it did when he was in his teens and twenties.

A phone ringing from the living room broke through the moment, and Steve jumped to his feet with a quiet curse. He disappeared through the open doorway, boxer briefs askew and lips red and swollen. He wandered back in a minute later, phone held to his ear.

"Uh huh. Yeah. No, that's fine. Yeah. Okay, see you then." He hung up and tossed the phone onto the end of the bed. Conversation over, he crawled back onto the bed and moved up until he was holding himself up over the top of Tony. "Mmmm." He said as they met for another kiss.

"Do you have to go?" Tony asked after a minute.

"Nah, that was just Danny. It's been a while since the Ohana got together for a meal. How would you feel about coming to my place tonight for a cookout and meeting them all officially?"

"I could do that." He agreed, stretching beneath the muscular behemoth atop him. "Whose all going to be there? Haven't I met them all already?"

"No. You met Danny, Kono and Chin. You kind of met Kamekona and Flippa, but they'll both be there. So will Max, who works as our ME. Kono's boyfriend Adam will be there, and Danny's daughter Grace. And uh, Catherine might be there too."

Tony raised is brow at the pause before the last name. "Something you want to tell me about Catherine?" He asked jokingly.

"Catherine is just an old friend from Naval Intelligence…" He trailed off. "We've, uh, had kind of a casual, uh, hook up type thing going for a while when we're got in the same area." He finally managed to get out.

"And she's coming to a family cookout?" Tony asked with a tiny frown, wondering if he should feel concerned with the information.

"Uh. She's a good friend, but Danny said he ran into her this morning and they got to talking. He mentioned the group maybe getting together and she said it would be good to see everyone. I haven't seen her or talked to her since you've been back."

"Are you sure you want me to come? I won't be offended if you make plans without me."

"Of course I want you to come!" He exclaimed. "That's not even in question. It just might be a little weird since I haven't talked to her yet, but things were totally casual between us- no commitments or emotional attachments. Promise."

"If you're sure." He said, uncertainly.

"I'm sure. Tony, these people are important to me. You're important to me. I want you to get to know them. I think you'll like them."

"We should take a shower." Tony stated, changing the subject.

"Together?" Steve asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows that shouldn't have been as endearing as it was.

"I could be persuaded." He wrapped a leg behind Steve's knees and twisted him to reverse their position. Steve allowed the move and ended up with Tony straddling his hips.

"You need persuading?" Steve asked in reply.

The smile came easy. "I guess not." He leaned down to kiss him and, once he was distracted, reached behind himself to drag the tips of his fingers lightly down the back of Steve's knee where it raised slightly off the bed.

Steve's whole body jerked and he made a surprised noise somewhere between gasp and a moan of protest. Tony's laugh was loud and bright as he rolled over the edge and onto his feet. He headed into the bathroom, Steve right on his heels.

Tony cursed as he tried to merge over to take the exit coming up on the right. He and Steve had parted ways earlier in the day, and Tony had told him he'd meet him at his place at five. The rest of the guests were supposed to arrive at five thirty. The clock on his dash was creeping up on six o'clock and he was feeling more and more agitated with every pacing minute. There'd been an accident on the way over, and he'd been stuck in traffic since four thirty.

He finally pulled into the full driveway just after six. The door opened before he reached it and he saw Danny waiting for him. "Hey, about time. The Neanderthals' been beside himself." He said, shutting the door after Tony entered.

Tony grimaced. "Trust me, two and a half hours stuck in traffic isn't my idea of a good time."

"Truer words, my friend. Come on, everyone's out back. I just happened to hear you pull up and thought I'd spare you having to walk out to the vultures all alone." He joked, leading the way back through the house.

"Appreciate that."

The group might not have noticed them right away if not for the short detective announcing, "Look whose finally here!" as they exited the house.

The group turned to look at them all at once, and Tony felt a little warm under the collar. He reminded himself that'd he'd been in much more stressful circumstances and forced his face to stay open and friendly as they approached the seated group.

"Sorry I'm late." Tony stated, eyes meeting Steve's as the other man stood from his seat to approach him.

"Ahh, you're never late on island time." Chin said from his own seat, toasting the air with his beer bottle. A chorus of agreement filled the air.

Steve shot him a private little smile as he came to stand beside him. His hand came up to rest on Tony's lower back, hidden from view of the group. "So, I know some of you have met already but, well, this is Kono Kalakaua, Adam Noshimuri, Max Bergman, Catherin Rollins, Kamekona and Flippa Tupuola, Chin Ho Kelly and the cutie playing in the sand is Grace Williams. Everyone, this is Tony DiNozzo. He's accepted a posting with NCIS at Pearl Harbor and, uh, we've been, seeing each other again."

"It's nice to meet, and re-meet, all of you." He said with a wink.

Kono spoke up next. "So Tony," She started, an laughing smile across her face. "Now that you're not part of our murder investigation, I want to hear all the embarrassing stories you have of the bossman!"

"Kono!" Steve scolded, to the amusement of the rest.

"Sorry brah, I have to take advantage of the opportunities as they appear!" She turned back to Tony. "I can get you a beer first, if that would help?"

Tony laughed aloud. "Maybe later."

"Later. Pfft." Steve scoffed. "There's not gonna be a later, because I don't have any old embarrassing stories to be told." He defended.

A mixture of 'Oh please!,; 'Yeah, Right' and plain laughter filled the air.

Tony raised a brow at the taller man. "What?" Steve said defensively. "I don't!"

"No?" Tony asked, lips curling. "Not even of that one day at the mall?"

An honest to god flush reddened the tips of the SEALs ears. "Well, we don't really need to talk about that."

"I want to hear!" Kono said loudly, and Tony thought she might have been a little tipsy already.

"Or the time John caught us making that thing in the garage?"

Steve choked slightly and then snorted a laugh despite his best efforts. "Ok, that's enough." He said, steering him over to where he had been sitting and gesturing him to take his seat. He moved over to throw the meat on the grill and listened contently as Tony started to get to know the team.

"So if you're moving here, when do we get to see your sweet ride?" Chin asked during a lull in conversation.

"You're having your car shipped here?" Danny cut in, having been talking to Steve when the conversation had come up before on the trails. "Hate to tell you this man, but you're probably better off selling it and buying a new one here. Shipping my car out here about gave me a heart attack."

"Not this car, braddah." Chin said. "He's got a 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. There were only, what, thirteen-hundred made?" He asked, looking over at the Italian.

"Uh, thirteen-fifty, I think. Or somewhere there abouts. I'm gonna fly back to DC here in a couple of weeks and have my stuff shipped over. I'm not sure how long it's going to take, that's something I have to look into, so if you have any recommendations I'd appreciate it." He finished, looking back at the blonde.

"Actually," The man said, reaching to pull out his wallet. He dug around in it for a second before he pulled out a card. "Here, this is the company I used. They were pretty good, car came in on time, didn't get it back all dinged up." He joked, reaching over to hand it to him.

"Oh, hey, thanks! One less thing for me to have to figure out." He tucked the card into his own wallet. "Don't supposed you have a card for a transpacific piano mover in there too?"

"Ah, nope, fresh out of those. Sorry."

A hand came down lightly on the back of his neck as an opened beer bottle appeared beside him. He reached up to grab it with a smile of thanks. Tony noticed Catherine frown at them from the corner of his eye, but did not acknowledge it. Steve sat on the arm of his chair while the meat cooked and rested his arm casually across the back of it as the conversation continued.

Tony's phone rang a few minutes later and he apologized as he pulled it out to look at the screen. His brows furrowed when he saw a video call request from Jimmy and he swiped to accept it. Breena and Jimmy's smiling faces appeared squished together on the small screen. "Tony!" The blonde woman exclaimed when he appeared in return.

"Hey guys. What's up? Isn't it like," he glanced at his watch. "Almost two am there?"

"It is, but we wanted to show you!" their faces disappeared as the phone flipped around to show his now neatly packed apartment, boxes stacked uniformly beside the door. "We got everything in the living room and kitchen packed. We did the bathroom too, and your coat closet." Her disembodied voice came as the image panned around. "All's you'll have to do is your bedroom! Oh, and the food that's left. I hope you don't mind," She said as she came back into view. "We ate the lasagna that was in the freezer and drank your bottle of wine that was in the fridge."

"No problem," He laughed. "It looks great, thank you so much for doing all that. Actually, feel to take whatever food you want. I think there's still some containers of my home made campanelle, tagliatelle and orecchiette noodles in the freezer. I can take whatever perishable food is left to the food bank when I'm back, but they won't take that kind of stuff."

"Have you booked your ticket yet?" Jimmy cut in, phone moving over to show him instead.

"Uh, no, not yet. It'll probably be weekend after next though. That'll give me another two weeks for everything to ship over before I start working."

"Do you know how long you're going to be here for?"

"I'm hoping I can get everything done in a weekend, but I'm not entirely sure how long everything's going to take yet. I'd like to try and meet with renters while I'm back, but I haven't started advertising for that yet."

"Actually," Breena said, moving into the frame with Jimmy. "I might have a solution to that. Do you remember my brother Josh? You met him at our housewarming party."

"Yeah, I remember him."

"Well he and his wife just split and he's moving to DC next month.. The markets pretty high right now, so he doesn't really want to buy- at least until the divorce is finalized, so he's looking for a place to rent. He's got great references!" She cajoled.

"I'm sure he does." Tony laughed. "But yeah, I wouldn't have a problem renting to Josh. I'll let you know when I have my ticket date for sure and maybe we can set it up for him to come and see the place?"

"Great!" Both pairs of eyes looked up and to the side as Steve reclaimed his seat after flipping the meat. "Who's this?" She asked slyly.

Tony glanced up and met his eyes. "This is Steve," He said, looking back at the screen.

"Steve, Steve?" Jimmy asked, brows raised in surprise.

"Yes, that Steve." He shot a mollifying look at the screen. "I ran into him a while back and we've been seeing each other. I'm actually at his place right now for a cook out."

"Hi Steve! I'm Breena and this is my Fiancé, Jimmy! It's great to meet you!"

"Can you tell who drank most of that wine?" Jimmy joked quietly and received an elbow in retaliation. Tony and Steve both laughed.

"It's nice to meet you, too. Or, sort of meet you."

"And I'm Kono!" The woman in question said, popping up over Tony's other shoulder. "I work with Steve. Wanna meet the rest of the group?" She asked, reaching forward to pluck the phone from Tony's hand. He let out a vague noise of protest, but didn't really mind as she started walking around the circle and introducing everyone.

"They seem nice." Steve murmured softly to him as they watched the commotion.

"They are. They're good people." Tony responded.

Steve smiled and pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head before moving back to start taking dinner off the grill. Tony noticed Catherine watching them again, and he hid a small frown. His phone made its way back to him when Steve announced that the food was ready. "Gracie," He said, gesturing the little girl over. "You get first pick. What would you like?" he offered.

"Can I have a hamburger and a hot dog please, Uncle Steve?" She asked sweetly.

"A hamburger and a hot dog!?" He repeated jokingly. "Where are you gonna put all that food? Look at you, you're tiny!"

"I'm not tiny!" She said, crossing her arms with a pout.

Tony looked away and back at the screen. His friends were both watching him with smiles. "We'll catch up more in person." Jimmy said. "But I should get this one home before it gets too much later. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye Tony, bye everyone, nice to meet you!" Breena said loudly enough for her voice to carry. A chorus of voices responded and Tony hung up with a warm feel of contentment in his stomach.

The silence echoed in the wake of the guests. Steve and Tony moved quietly together, putting the last few things away and closing up the house. Tony was reaching up to put the left over hamburger buns in the cupboard when muscular arms wrapped around his waist. Though he jumped a bit at first, he closed the door and turned in the arms with a smile.

"I like your family." He said simply.

"They liked you too."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm. Well, except Kamekona. He was saying something about a shrimp roll on a Hawaiian bread not being right. I'm not sure exactly what he was talking about but he looked pretty worked up."

Tony tipped his head back and laughed. "Sorry." He said when he was finished.

"Don't be." Steve said huskily. "So, do you want to drive all the way back to your house, knowing you very well could end up stuck in traffic again and be on the road all night, or would you like to sleep here and save yourself the potential hassle?"

"Humm. That's quite the argument." Tony quipped.

"I thought so."

"It'd be rude to decline such a noble, self-sacrificing offer. How will I ever repay your generosity?"

"I'm sure we can figure out a way." The grin that crossed Steve's face was that of an angelic looking schoolboy who'd just propped a bucket of water over his sisters bedroom door. He was doing a good job hiding his doing, but couldn't completely conceal the mischievous gleam or the proud sparkle in his eye.

"Well in that case, I suppose I'll stay."

Steve's bright grin turned more honest and he ducked down to steal a kiss. One kiss turned to two. Steve's hands dropped lower, sliding softly down his back and glossing over his buttocks. When they reached the backs of his thighs, the grip tightened and Steve lifted him suddenly to sit on the counter. The raise in height made it to where he was taller than Steve for a change and he enjoyed the maneuvering advantage it gave him in the kiss.

His knees tightened around the toned hips and drew him closer still. His arms came up to loop around Steve's neck and one hand fisted in the short hair beneath it. They stayed that way, making out like horny teenagers, for a long while. Eventually though, sitting on the counter began to get uncomfortable for both of them.

Without warning, Steve lifted him again and began walking towards his bedroom. Tony wrapped his legs around him more securely and tilted his head back with another, quieter, laugh. "Show off." He accused lightly at the fact that the other man was able to heft and carry his 6', 180 pound solid frame like it was nothing.

"Not a show off." He argued, biting at his neck. "I just don't wanna let go of you."

"Well," Tony said, more turned on by the show of strength than he would admit to as they started climbing the stairs "I suppose I can't argue with that." He smiled, settling more deeply into the other man's hold. He was pretty damn content to not be let go of either.

~*~ _END_ ~*~


	3. Chapter 3

I Ka'īʻana Aloha (Saying 'Bye')

The flight was long- nearly ten hours in total, and took them until just after nine pm, East Coast Time. It would be just after three pm back in Hawaii, but they'd arrived at the airport at three am and both were feeling the time zone difference. Tony had splurged on first class tickets and so he and Steve had their own little section, complete with a curtain blocking them from the isle. He hadn't expected the other man to want to come with him, but Steve had laid down a series of less and less subtle hints that he was waiting for Tony to invite him that he'd finally given in and put him out of his misery. Despite the relative niceness of first class, both men were happy when they finally touched down in an environment much more gloomy in nature than the one they'd just left.

Jimmy had offered to pick them up from the airport, but Tony has assured him that they could make it just fine by cab. He'd get his car out of storage the next morning and they'd drive that until they loaded it into a shipping container just before it was time to board the plane back home. Thanks to the later hour, the cab made good time and they arrived at his building just twenty minutes after leaving the airport.

Tony thanked the cabby and then pulled himself out of the car. Steve stepped up next to him as he was stretching and together they made their way up. He didn't know what made the process of travel so exhausting, but he was ready to collapse into bed and sleep for the next twelve hours.

He started to unlock his door when he realized it wasn't locked at all. He knew Jimmy wouldn't have forgot to lock up when he'd left and was immediately on high alert. His hand once again reached for the gun that wasn't there and he bit back the sigh of annoyance. Steve carefully set his duffle bag down to free up his own hands. His carry on was all he brought and so he wasn't carrying either, not wanting the hassle that occurred when bringing any kind of weapon onto a commercial plane.

Tony turned the handle slowly and pushed the door open silently. It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did to see Abby and McGee sitting on his couch and watching TV. His annoyance immediately skyrocketed. "What the hell are you two doing here?" He demanded, voice coated in dismayed disbelief.

Both jumped and something clattered to the floor. "Tony!" Abby squealed, as she jumped up and scuttled across the room to engulf him in a hug. Tony stiffened and patted her on the back, but make no move to actually return the embrace.

She pulled back suddenly and slapped him across the face. Her hand left a stinging imprint on his cheek and he heard Steve let out a low growl-like noise behind him. She raised her hand to strike him again, but he caught her wrist in a tight grip. "Don't hit me again." He commanded, voice made of ice.

Her eyes filled with angry tears at his tone and she raised her other hand to try again. Tears began to trickle down her face when he caught that one too. "How could you do this?" She demanded. "How can you just abandon your family?"

Tony looked at her incredulously before tipping his head back slightly with a hysterical laugh bubbling to the surface. "Abandon my family Abbs, really?" He pushed her hands away and she took a step back with the movement.

"Well what would you call it?" She demanded, sounding angry again, arms crossed. McGee was standing uncomfortably in front of the couch, watching the scene with wide eyes.

He looked back at her. "How did you get in my apartment, Abby?" He asked firmly, changing the subject.

"Gibbs gave me your key."

"Gibbs gave you my key." He repeated, deadpanned. She looked away. "Right. How did you get in here?"

"Ok, I borrowed you key from Gibbs, but Tony,!"

"No Abby. You stole my spare key from Gibbs so that you could break into my apartment and wait to assault me?" He shook his head again, hand raising to run through his hair. "What do you want, Abby? Why are you here?"

She hunched over for a second with his words, before visibly straightening herself, stubborn expression back in place. "I didn't steal your key, I borrow it." She insisted first. "And I didn't come here to _assault_ you." She spat the word, voice petulant. "But you can't do this, Tony! You can't abandon us, you can't abandon Gibbs. He needs you!" He started to interject, but she talked over the top of him and he clenched his jaw instead. "And to what? To move to Hawaii? That's so selfish!" Her foot stomped slightly with the last word.

"Selfish?" He repeated, finally able to speak. His brow raised as she responded.

"Yes! Gibbs needs you, you can just leave."

"Actually, I can. See, you seem to have forgotten this, but Gibbs was my superior- not my owner. And I am not abandoning anyone. I accepted a promotion that is based in Hawaii- no, please, hold your congratulations." His voice was darkly sarcastic.

"Why would I congratulate you for leaving us? The team's been on cold cases since you left. No one want's to be the new SFA and Vance said they can't in the field until they replace you! Gibbs is really angry!"

"Look- I'm sorry that the team is benched, but that's not my problem anymore. Maybe if Gibbs tried to actually act like a human, someone would want to work for him, but I'm not coming back Abby." His voice was firm.

"You have to!"

He sighed harshly, dropping his head to pinch the bridge of his nose. "We are not going to keep going in circles. You want to know why I left?" He demanded, looking back up at her squarely. "I was planning to leave NCIS before I was offered this promotion. _I was leaving regardless_ \- because I refuse to work with a team that I can't trust to have my six. And honestly? I don't blame the other agents for not wanting to join such a toxic team."

"What?!" She demanded loudly. "Of course, they have your six! They're your team!"

Tony laughed again, more bitterly this time. He shook his head and ran another hand through his mussed hair. "When I was getting voice prints, my ' _team'_ turned off my com and left me without backup. We were hunting a known serial killer. I could have been bleeding out on the floor and no one would have known." His words were blunt and cold.

"That was just a joke!" She defended. "Nothing happened."

"Nothing happened this time. But I'm not willing to put my life in the hands of people who have already shown a potentially lethal disregard for my wellbeing. And _you_ , Abby? You tampered with evidence to cover up what they did. You do even realize how much trouble you could be in for that?"

"Timmy and Ziva could have gotten fired because of a stupid joke. That's not fair." She defended again, glairing.

"You could go to jail!" He exclaimed, gesturing harshly. She stepped back, looking as if he struck her.

"But nothing happened!" She repeated again, voice slightly lower. "They shouldn't get fired over nothing."

"What they did is punishable for a reason! Their behavior could have gotten a teammate killed in the field. Since Gibbs obviously won't step up as team lead, it was my job as Senior Field Agent to make sure that behavior did not happen again. But, instead of letting me do my job, you **broke the law** covering it up so that they didn't have to face the consequence of their actions. If your tampering was discovered, it could get the whole case tossed out as a mistrial. You put protecting their egos over my life and safety and over that of the case."

Her eyes filled again. "It wasn't like that." She whispered.

"How wasn't it?"

She shook her head and reached up to rub her face. He allowed the silence to continue, broken only by her sniffles. She finally looked up again, only then seeming to realize he wasn't alone. "Who's your bodyguard?" The snide edge crept back into her voice as her eyes ran him over, and it was pretty clear the line of her thoughts.

Tony glanced behind himself. Steve was standing at his right shoulder, legs apart and arms crossed over his chest. His muscles were bulging and his jaw obviously clenched as he stared at her with icy, narrowed eyes. He looked the part of the bodyguard, he realized, a small flash of amusement breaking through his annoyance. Tony was grateful he hadn't tried to involve himself directly, but rather took up a stance of support.

"Partner, actually." He felt a flash of pride at being able to say that again. "And any other time I have been happy to introduce you to him. As it is, I'd like you to get out of my apartment."

A couple more tears broke through and fell down her cheeks. He honestly wasn't sure if they were actual tears or just more attempts at manipulating him. He realized then that he didn't care. Her being upset no longer affected him as it once would have. There was a time that seeing her cry would have had him jumping to make whatever it was better. Back when NCIS still did feel like a family. Back when Kate was still alive and he actually looked forward to going to work. That urge was no longer there and it felt like yet another weight off his shoulders. "But Tony," She tired again.

"No buts." He said, voice final. He turned back to the door, ducked out to grab Steve's bag and then held it pointedly open for them. "Look, I'll come and see you before I leave and we can finish hashing this all out if you want. For right now, _get out_." He stated firmly when neither of them moved. It was McGee that finally did, seeming to break himself from his frozen state. He shuffled over to Abby and grabbed her arm. She tried to pull back from him at first, but he was firm in grabbing her elbow and leading her to the door.

He paused in front of Tony and looked like he wanted to say something. His mouth opened but nothing came out. He closed it a second later and turned to leave silently, eyes downcast. "Wait," he commanded. They both turned to him hopefully, but all's he did was hold out a hand. "Key." He demanded simply.

"But it's Gibbs' key." Abby argued weakly, knowing she'd have to face up to the man in question when he realized one of his keys was missing- and he would realize it eventually.

"No, it's my key, and I don't think the new tenant will appreciate a stranger with a penchant for breaking in, having free access to their new apartment." She pulled it meekly from her pocket and dropped it in his hand. The door closed with a snap and the resulting silence in the apartment was resounding.

Tony allowed himself to slump then, reaching up to rub his sore cheek. He felt more than heard Steve walk up to stand behind him and he sighed quietly. "I'm sorry about all that." He said softly. "Not exactly how I was planning for tonight to go."

Soft lips pressed to his temple. "None of that was your fault." Steve stated. "Her behavior was completely out of line and I'm sorry _you_ had to deal with that." He paused for a second before continuing quieter. "You didn't tell me about any of that."

Tony shrugged. "It wasn't important." He looked up to see Steve's lips purse, but was grateful when he apparently decided to let it go for the moment. Tony glanced around the mostly packed apartment, really taking it in for the first time. They'd done a good job and it would be easier for the movers to haul everything out. "So, my bed here is pretty small, but what do you say we call it a night and start fresh tomorrow?" He asked.

At the other mans nod, he led him to the closed bedroom door. Everything was exactly how he left it and it was clear no one had been in this particular room since he flew out. They both preformed their night time absolutions and then curled tightly together on the Full bed. "You weren't kidding about having a small bed." Steve remarked as they shifted to get comfortable.

"I don't normally bring people here, so there's no need for a bigger bed."

Steve didn't respond verbally, but his grip around his waist tightened and they both quickly dropped off to sleep.

Both men woke around four am the next day. The rose, dressed and set off on a run together to get themselves energized for the day. It was still dark, save for the streetlights, and a light drizzle was falling. The brisk air quickly began to sting Tony's lungs and he felt ten times as exerted as he'd gotten used to in warm, sunshiny weather. If Steve noticed his slower pace and heavier footfalls, he didn't say, but he did slow his own strides to match Tony's. And if Tony cut their run shorter than normal, he didn't mention it.

When they got back, Tony pushed Steve towards the bathroom, saying he'd get coffee started and then take his own shower. As soon as he heard the sounds of Steve stepping under the spray, he grabbed his phone and dialed.

"Dr. Pitt." A male voice stated pleasantly.

"Brad, hey, it's Tony."

"Tony, hey! Haven't heard from you in a while, how have you been?"

"I've been good, really good actually. But hey, look, I know this is a lot to ask, but I'm actually moving to Hawaii and I'm only back in the city until tomorrow night. Is there any way you could fit me in for a checkup before I fly back out? I'd also like it if you could recommend anyone out on the islands that I could follow up with?"

"You're moving to Hawaii?" Brad replied, sounding a bit surprised.

"Yeah, I, uh, got offered a promotion out that way."

"Congratulations!" He exclaimed. "That's great news! And I've been telling you for years a dryer environment would do wonders for you pulmonary function."

"You were right. I've been there for a month already and I feel a million times better."

"That's fantastic, I'm really happy to hear that. It looks like I have an opening at 9:00, could you make that?"

Tony glanced at the clock on the coffee pot. It was just after six. "I'll be there."

"We'll get some X-Ray's too, make sure you're in top shape."

"Great. Thanks for doing this."

"No problem at all, I'll see you soon."

"See you." He hit the start button on the coffee pot he'd been messing with and then grabbed his phone down from his ear and set it on the counter just as the shower turned off. He shook his head- he wasn't exactly known for long showers himself, but Steve was quick almost to the point of ridiculousness.

Tony turned and leaned back on the counter to wait. Steve appeared a minute later, pulling a clean shirt over his head. He enjoyed watching the flex of muscles while they were visible. He must have made a face when the flesh was covered because when he looked up Steve was smirking at him with a brow raised. "See something you like?" He teased, moving forward.

Tony allowed his eyes to roam the entirety of Steve- beginning at his hair, his entire face and then zigzagging down his body leisurely. He hummed. "A whole lot of somethings." He finally said, lips quirking as Steve came to a stop right in front of him.

Steve smiled back, leaning down to catch his lips in a kiss. "Go shower." He ordered a second later. "I'll finish the coffee."

"Mmmm." He hummed again. "I like that you smell like me." He leaned in for another kiss. Steve allowed it and then pushed him away with a laugh.

"Go on, you, we have a lot to do."

A half hour later the two were making their way to a little café down the street, there not being any fresh food in the apartment for breakfast. They ate together at a small table in front of the window, feet pressing together in the middle.

After, they leisurely made their way back to the apartment to start working. Just before eight, Tony mentioned running out to get the car and do some errands. Steve offered to go with him, but Tony asked if he would mind staying and getting the cloths packed up. "The movers are going to be here at eleven and it would be a huge help if you could get that part done." His voice was dipping dangerously close to pleading.

"Alright, I'll stay and pack up your cloths," he acquiesced. "But I don't understand why you need so many damned suits." He said in disgust, looking at the two piles of them that had been moved to lie neatly across the bed.

Tony laughed and moved to press a kiss against the taller mans' jaw. "Don't knock my suits. Those are part of my soul." He joked, pulling out his phone to call for a cab.

He set off ten minutes later and directed the cabby to his storage unit nearby his apartment. They arrived quickly and he punched in the security code to open the large garage-like door. His car was the only thing inside the temperature controlled box and he had plenty of room to move around it and check it over before he set off. It may have been in pretty nice condition, body sleek black and flawless, but it was still a classic car and could still be temperamental.

Satisfied, he climbed in the driver seat. It rumbled easily to life and Tony allowed himself a small smile at the sound. He drove through the open door, stopping on the other side to shut it, and then drove up to the storage office. He went inside to cancel his automatic renewal and was quickly on his way.

He headed to Bethesda first, knowing he might get stuck in traffic along the way. He arrived at a quarter to nine and was taken into a room minutes later. Brad ambled in at two past, Tony's familiar chart in hand. The two made small talk as Brad set about his examination- listening to his lungs, running him through some breathing exercises and then bringing in the portable x-ray machine. He took the images himself, and then pulled them up on the screen, along with the results of his last x-ray, to show Tony right then.

Tony had grown pretty familiar with scared up abominations living in his body, and so was surprised to see them actually looking more normal. Brad was smiling as well as he began pointing at specific points on the image. "The scarring will never go fully away, but as you can see, your lungs are much less inflamed and there is less pulmonary edema than at your last exam. You said you've been feeling a lot better?"

"Oh yeah. I almost feel like I'm back to my old self. I'm able to run farther, at a faster pace that I have been since before the plague. I did overdo it one day and it took about ten minutes to get it back under control, but that was the only bad day and I was back to normal within an hour or so."

"That's fantastic. Everything looks good, your lungs are going great." He moved over to the computer in the room and punched some stuff into the computer. When he came back he was pulling a business card out of Tony's paper folder. "You said you were wanting a recommendation for a new physician in Hawaii?" At Tony's nod, he handed him the card. "Doctor Kaleo Pauahi is a pulmonologist who works out of Straub Medical Center in Honolulu. He's a fantastic physician and has studied the long term effects that the plague and things like it have on the body. I'd feel comfortable turning your care over to him. I can put in a referral and have your records faxed over if you'd like." He finished.

"I'm sold." Tony said back. "That would be great, thank you."

Brad nodded and glanced at his watch. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asked.

"No, you've been awesome. Thanks again for seeing me on such short notice."

"No trouble at all." He replied, as they shook hands. "And if you ever find yourself in need of a physician back here I'd be happy to take back over your care." Tony smiled at him appreciatively and then headed to the door.

That done, he headed to his bank to facilitate the transferring of his money to the account he'd set up back on the island. After, he swung by a nearby U-Haul store to get some more boxes and then headed home just after ten.

When he arrived, Steve had all of his suits packed, and the remainder of his cloths folded and ready for boxes. Between the two of them, they were able to get the rest of his bedroom packed and the boxes moved to the living room with the rest before the movers arrived. Once they did, they quickly and efficiently cleared out the boxes, assuring him that they would arrive at his new home in Hawaii within a week.

The piano mover was due to arrive at one, so they called for a pizza and started deep cleaning the mostly cleared apartment. By three, the only things that remained in the apartment were those that were staying, a carry-on suitcase for Tony to last him, Steve's duffle bag, and the bedding that he would strip before they left. Breena's brother Josh, along with Breena and Jimmy, arrived at four.

Tony answered the door with a smile, accepting the hug from Breena and the half hug from Jimmy. He shook Josh's hand and then introduced all three of them to Steve. Jimmy and Breena settled into easy conversation with Steve, while Tony gave Josh a tour of the apartment. He'd checked into what apartments in the building rented for- being unfamiliar with the rates since he owned his. He'd been informed that, thanks to the prime location within DC, units went from $2,000 to about $2,800 depending on the size.

When they were finished with the tour and standing in the relative privacy of the kitchen, they began talking about the details. Tony was someone who believed in being upfront about details. He wasn't trying to make money off of rent and knew how trying a divorce could be financially. He told Josh how much the apartments rented for, but continued on to say that, since he owned his outright and did not have to try and cover the mortgage on it, he would rent to him for $1500 a month- way below market value. He also let him know that, due to the unpredictable nature of his work schedule, utilities and cable were payed up six months in advance, but that he would have to take them over when that time frame ended.

Knowing all of that, he wanted Josh to fully understand that he would be in Hawaii, so if something happened or needed to be fixed, he wouldn't be able to handle it directly. He'd pay for any necessary repairs, but would need Josh to be able to coordinate that kind of stuff in his absence. Josh was thrilled with the offer. He'd owned his home before the divorce and so was familiar with all the issues that could crop up unexpectedly.

The shook on the deal, both very satisfied, and Tony promised he'd have his lawyer draw up the contract so they could sign it the next day and let him know he could move in any time after five pm, when they would head to the airport to catch their plane back home. Tony was happy that the income would pay for his new mortgage, and that it had gotten taken care of so quickly, and Josh was happy that he was getting such a great deal. They rejoined the three still in the living room and headed out as a group to dinner, bar Josh, who had another engagement to get to.

Though Tony had promised Jimmy and Breena the option of where they ate, both deferred back to him on the grounds it was his last night in the city and he should get to decide where they ate. He settled a jazz bar that also served fantastic food just a few minutes from his apartment. It was a warm space, done up in wood paneling and soft lighting, and often had live music playing. Tony'd spent a lot of time there over the years, and would enjoy a last visit before he left. On the way, Jimmy asked if Tony would mind Ducky coming. He didn't, of course, and they agreed to meet him there.

They decided to wait for the older man before entering, and stood under the cover catching up and making small talk. When Ducky arrived, the first thing he did was pull Tony into a hug. "Oh, my dear boy. Congratulations on your promotion!" He stated proudly, pulling back and clasping him on the shoulders.

Tony smiled at the man that had been what he imagined a grandfather might be like. "Thanks, Duck." He replied, grateful his voice came out normal. He'd been pretty well counting on Jimmy and Breena's support, but hadn't been too sure about anyone else. Abby had made her stance clear enough, and McGee had kept his silence, so Tony had pretty well written off any support from him. Having Ducky's support, as he'd had for years, was a weight off his shoulders.

"Of course, of course," He said, brushing off the thanks, before he continued his train of thought as they moved inside as a group. "Though we will miss your visits to autopsy. You know, I went to Hawaii once, many years ago… It was the summer of 1967, I believe. No, it must have been '68." He mused. "Well, no matter. Absolutely beautiful place. I met a lady friend there named Lynnea…"

An hour quickly turned to two as the group enjoyed the conversation and atmosphere. Tony found himself leaning against Steve slightly, listening to the story currently being told with a small, unconscious smile on his face. He felt warm from the combination of good friends and good scotch, and was reluctant for the night to come to an end.

They all agreed to have one more round before breaking up for the night. Tony offered to get them, saying he needed to visit the restroom anyway and would stop at the bar on his way back. He did his business and was washing his hands when the door opened and the last person he expected to see entered the room. Ziva, wearing a slinky black sleeveless dress that hugged her toned and voluptuous body and showcased her attributes.

"Ziva?" He stated, shocked at her entry into the men's room, though perhaps he shouldn't have been. "What are you doing here?"

"Tony." She moved closer, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Her hair was down and Tony would be the first to admit she looked good. Still, he was definitely suspicious of her behavior. She walked slowly up to him, swaying her hips as she moved. When she reached him, she trailed a finder from his mid-chest up to his neck.

He shook his head, stepping back and out of her reach. He grabbed a paper towel and quickly dried his hands. Once satisfied, he moved back to the door and held it open for her. She crossed her arms with a pout. "Can't we talk for a minute?" She asked, voice low.

"We can… Just not in the men's room." He stated firmly, gesturing for her to go out into the hallway. She finally moved forward, but made sure to brush fully against his front when she passed him. He followed behind her and then turned to her with his own arms crossed when they were both in the much more neutral environment of the semi-private hallway. "What do you want, Ziva?" He asked.

"I would have thought that was obvious." She pouted, moving closer to him again. He held a hand up to stop her progression and her eyes flashed briefly with frustration before she covered it. "Come now, Tony." She continued, tilting her head to expose the long, slender line of her neck. "We both know we've been working towards this for years." Her voice dropped further still and he had to strain to hear what she was saying. "Do you really want to leave without knowing what it's like? Without knowing how good we could be together?"

Tony watched her, a sardonic smile twisting his lips. An aborted chuckle broke his silence and he shook his head at her. "I know exactly how good we'd be together." Her lashes fluttered again at the comment. "Which is to say, not at all. Do you want to know why, or do you want me to leave it at that?"

She pouted again and moved closer still. "I disagree. I think we'd be very good together. Like peanut butter and bread."

"The expression is peanut butter and jelly, but yours actually probably works better." He tilted his own head in thought. "Because I know you, Ziva. I know how manipulative you are, I know you thrive on twisting men around to do your bidding. I know your daddy issues are even bigger than mine, and your issues with men in general boarder on psychotic." He shook his head. "I mean, honestly. Do you even know what you want? Or are you so used to using your body to manipulate men that it was the next logical step for you, coming here? What are you expecting to happen? Do you think we'll fall into bed together and it'll be so amazing that I'll give up my promotion and stay here with you in DC? Fall back into line and keep living the same life I have been?" He shook his head again.

"I'm happy, Ziva. I'm looking forward to starting my new job, looking forward to living in Hawaii. I'm seeing someone I think might actually be the one for me. We're happy together, honestly happy, not just manipulating each other to make ourselves happy."

She cut in, starting to look angry. "You're lying. You wouldn't have found someone like that so soon. You forget, I know you too, having a different woman every weekend, never with the same one twice." She sneered.

"I'm sure when Abby tracked my cell and told you where I was, she mentioned meeting my partner."

"She said your new partner accompanied you to help you move. I assumed she meant your new work partner." She replied stiffly.

"Ah, no. Partner in the biblical sense. And not new so much as renewed..."

"She said the person she met was a man." Ziva pressed.

"Very much so."

"You are not _okhel batachat_!" She spat the words like a curse.

"Uh, not sure what exactly that means."

"You do not lie with men!"

"Yafealu, fi alwaqie. wa'anah yatamatae kathiraan jidanaan..." A familiar and very welcome voice rumbled behind him. [He does, actually. And he very much enjoys it.] Steve came to a stop next to Tony. "I was wondering what was taking so long," He said, direction his attention to the other man. "I guess this explains it."

"Yeah, sorry, got delayed." He smiled up at the man before looking back at the fuming woman before him. "Ziva, this is Steve, my partner. Steve, this is Ziva. She's been a Mossad Liaison officer at NCIS for what, five years now?"

"This is a joke." Ziva stated, deadpanned.

"No joke. I'm sorry Ziva, but we are so beyond the point of you being able to change anything about this situtation, it's absurd. I'm not coming back to NCIS and I'm certainly not going to sleep with you. I am going back to my companions and I'm going to finish up my farewell dinner with the people from NCIS who still matter to me. I wish you every happiness and hope you get everything you want out of life. It's just not going to have anything to do with me." He finished calmly, moving forward to press a brief kiss to her cheek before moving back to Steve and walking away with the other man's hand a comfortable weight on his back.

He could feel how tense Steve was as they walked away, but wasn't sure what he should do to reassure him. He settled with stepping slightly closer as they made their way slowly over to the bar to request drinks. As they waited, they stood facing each other and leaning casually against a stretch of the bar. Tony's eyes scanned Steve's tight expression. "So, what about that is bothering you? He finally asked when it was clear the silence would continue if allowed.

"Were you and her ever together?" He asked after a pause.

"No." Tony replied immediately. "We.. Flirted, sometimes. But no." He frowned slightly, a little surprised that that's what would be disturbing the other man.

Steve shook his head silently. "What?" Tony asked, honestly a little nervous. They may have fallen back into their comfortable relationship, but they'd historically never been very good at talking it out when something was bugging them. It had been a big contributor in their breakup- neither willing to be the one open up first. It was the first time he'd felt the familiar flash of discomfort that came with these situations since their final breakup and he wondered if they'd fall back into the same patterns, the same pitfalls of avoidance and brushing things off like they didn't form a pile of crap over time. They'd both matured, but would it be enough for the emotionally stunted men?

No. He decided then. It wasn't a question of 'what's going to happen?' It was a matter of taking charge and being the one to break those patterns. This time, he'd take the first step- no matter how uncomfortable pressing Steve to talk about his feelings felt to both of them.

He took a literal first step then, moving more fully into Steve's space. The reaction was immediate, his stance widened, body turned more fully to Tony as he opened himself to the others presence. When they were pressed chest to chest, Tony spoke again, quietly and just for them. "You know, if this is going to work, we're going to have to talk more. It'll be hard, I know," He joked softly. "But I'll try if you do."

Steve lowered his head so that his left temple was pressed gently against Tony's right. A long silence passed and Tony wondered again if it was going to be enough. "It just, it bothers me that some of the people here- or well, the two women I've met, seem so willing to steamroll over you. To take liberties. I don't…" He sighed through his nose. "I don't know how to explain _why_ I'm pissed. But people shouldn't be breaking into your apartment, and they shouldn't be crashing your farewell dinner trying to seduce you into turning down an amazing offer. What I've seen, along with the stories I've been hearing? I just, I don't like thinking of you surrounded by these people for so long. You don't deserve to be treated like this. Any especially for two women who you've never been more than friends too. Ziva was acting like a jealous ex back there- that's some serious audacity for someone whose never had you to begin with."

Tony ran a hand, hidden by the bar, up Steves side. "It wasn't always like this." Tony replied, a soothing note to his voice. "I was genuinely happy here for a long time. Things just… changed." They were interrupted when the bartender set their beverages in front of them with a small clatter. Tony pulled back at smiled at the man in thanks. He turned back to Steve. "But none of that matters, does it?" He smiled. "I'm not here anymore."

Steve smiled back and darted in for a quick kiss. "No, you're not." He said happily. Tony laughed and together they gathered the drinks and moved back to the table.

The next morning involved yet more errands. This time, Steve accompanied him. The last stop might have been the hardest. Being Sunday, he knew exactly where he'd find Gibbs. They pulled to a stop in front of his house and Tony sat behind the wheel for a long moment, gathering his thoughts.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Steve asked quietly.

"Yes." Tony laughed in a quiet, agitated way. "But no. This one I need to do by myself." He nodded, steeling himself, and then moved to get out of the car. "I'll be back in a few." He said before he closed the door. The walk to the front door seemed to take forever, and the walk down the basement steps longer still. The sound of sanding could be heard as he approached, and he subconsciously lightened his footsteps. He arrived at the bottom, but couldn't see Gibbs where he was working at.

"What are you doing here, DiNozzo?" The man's gruff voice came from behind the boat.

"I uh, well. I know you don't do apologies, but I wanted to anyway. I shouldn't have gone over your head and quit. I should have come to you, and I'm sorry I didn't." It was something that he'd been turning over in his head since about a week after he left. He didn't regret leaving, not a bit, but he did somewhat regret the way he did it. Despite the man being a total bastard, they'd worked together for a long time, had been through a lot together, and he owed it to Gibbs to come to him first.

The older man finally appeared from behind the boat at his words. "Yeah, you should have." He replied, studying Tony. He made his way over to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of bourbon. He poured a healthy amount into the lone coffee cup on the counter and then poured out a collection of bolts from a small metal cup and added liquor to that one as well. He held it out and Tony took it automatically.

They both took a drink of the pungent liquid before Gibbs spoke again. "Well since we're doing this," He began gruffly. "I'm sorry I didn't see how bad things were getting. I may have relied too much on you to manage the rest of the team and I didn't always back you up when I should have."

Tony had to repress his shocked expression, not imaging in his wildest dreams that Gibbs would apologize to him. Gibbs turned his head to him and glanced over what he was wearing. "Heading to the airport soon?" He guessed, taking in the comfortable cloths Tony was wearing.

"Uh, yeah, here in a couple hours. We were just out finishing up some loose ends. We have to be at the dock by two to load my car, but we still have a couple hours for that." He said, glancing at his watch.

"We?" Gibbs asked.

"Uh yeah, Steve is with me. He's out in the car."

"Steve the new partner I've been hearing about?"

Tony frowned. "Hearing about? I'm not sure how you would be."

"You're not my first visitor since you've been back in town." He said simply.

"Right." Tony ran a hand through his hair. "But yeah, Steve is my partner."

"Why don't you bring him inside, and we can throw some steaks on the fire for lunch before you go. Bet it'll be better than the airline food."

"I'm sure it would be." Tony agreed with a small smile. "Are you sure?"

"Wouldn't have offered if I wasn't, DiNozzo."

"Right. Then I'll be right back?"

"Go on, I'll get the steaks out."

Tony turned to head back up the stairs. He paused, looking back over his shoulder. "Thanks, Gibbs." He said quietly.

"You don't work for me anymore, might as well call me Jethro." He said gruffly, and with that one sentence all of the lingering feelings of resentment, of envy with how the older interacted with his former agent, Stan Burley- it all drained away. And really, he thought, as he headed back up the stairs, they were at in equal position now. They would no longer be under the constraints of supervisor and subordinate, but would be on more equal footing.

Steve had been a little surprised when Tony came to the passenger window and asked him to come in for lunch. He'd followed all the same, body tense and unsure of what to expect. When they entered the living room, Gibbs was already kneeling in front of the fire place, flames flickering away as he fidgeted with it. "You know where the beer is, DiNozzo." He said without looking at them. Tony glanced at Steve before turning and heading into the kitchen. He grabbed three chilled bottles and made his way back out. Steve had taken a seat on the couch, and he handed him the first bottle as he passed by him to hand the second to Gibbs. He sat down next to his partner as Gibbs moved to take his chair.

"So," The older man started after taking a swig. "When Abby called you a bodyguard, I wasn't expecting a SEAL." He said casually, taking him in. Steve met his gaze steadily.

"She's still on about that?" Tony asked, breaking the stare. "I told her he wasn't my bodyguard."

"Yeah, but you know how she can be. So, how'd you two meet?" He asked.

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. "Ah, well." Tony started, somewhat hesitant. "Do you remember me telling you that Senior forgot me in a hotel room one year when we were visiting Hawaii?" He asked.

"Hard to forget that one." Gibbs replied, scornful note showing exactly what he thought of Tony's father.

"Right, well, he told them to just keep me in the room until he got things figured out, but the hotel didn't exactly like that. Steve's dad, John, ended up being the officer that came and got me. He didn't want me to have to stay at the police station, so he took me home with him. I ended up being at their house for three days before Senior got around to making arrangements for me to fly back to New York. We kept in touch after I left."

"Dad was so mad, too." Steve spoke up, looking at his partner. "He tried to argue that you shouldn't be released back to your father at all, but his lawyers brushed it everything off. H was pretty upset after he took you to the airport."

"Really?" Tony asked surprised.

"Yeah, he was fuming."

"Huh." He replied. "But anyway, we kept in touch. I went back to visit the summer before my freshman year at Ohio State and we started seeing each other."

Gibbs frowned slightly. "But you haven't been together this whole time." He said more than asked, familiar with Tony's stories of one night stands and various women throughout the years.

"No, uh, well. Steve was deployed when you offered me a job. His first leave after that, we realized we both wanted different things at the time and uh," He shrugged. "We broke up."

Gibbs grunted in understanding as he rose and headed back to the fire. He started the steaks, the flame having had time to rise in temperature. "Deployment can be hard." He offered gruffly, not looking at them. "Shannon and I almost split because of it at one point."

Tony froze, unsure how to respond to the mention of a normally taboo subject. Luckily, Gibbs continued and he didn't have to try and figure out what to say. "You still enlisted?" He asked Steve, turning to sit on the ledge in front of the fireplace to keep an eye on the meat.

"Reserves. I run the Governor's Task Force now." Gibbs nodded in understanding.

"Ahh. He said. "That explains it."

"Uh, explains what?" Tony asked.

"Heard you got caught up in another murder investigation." The faintest hint of a smirk curled his lips. "If your boy runs the task force, it explains how you two ran into each other again."

"It wasn't my fault." Tony defended himself against the other mans amusement. "I swear, he _literally_ crashed my morning run. How'd you hear about that anyway?" He asked with what was most definitely not a pout.

"Oh, Fornell's pretty upset." The smirk widened into a grin, and it was obvious just how the man had gotten married so many times. His whole expression changed when he smiled, glacial blue eyes lighting with his mirth. "He was sure you were gonna take him up on his job offer when he heard you left. Went as far as knocking on your door to try and get you to sign paperwork before anyone else could get their claws into you. He showed up here when he realized you weren't there."

Tony let out a laugh of his own. "How'd he find out? Jarvis said he put a lid on it."

"Are you kidding? You know all the agency directors gossip worse than my second ex-wife." He shook his head in disgust, but the amusement was still there.

Tony laughed again, more so when he caught Steve's obvious 'second ex-wife?' expression. The conversation lightened from there, and the three men spent the next hour together in comfortable companionship over a delicious steak, fire baked potatoes and cold beer. When it was time to head to the docks, Tony felt almost sad to leave, feeling connected to his mentor in a way he just hadn't before.

Still, he was very glad he'd made this stop and felt like he could move forward with one less regret weighing down on him. Gibbs walked them to the door when they had to go, and shook first Steve's hand and then Tony's.

"Thank you." Tony said a final time, turning to look at the older man as they stood just outside the door. "For everything." He continued. "Maybe next time you need a vacation you'll come to Hawaii instead of Mexico. I have a guest room, two, actually. One's yours if you ever want it." He offered freely.

"I might just take you up on that." He said in return, small smile back in place. "You boys take care of each other." He said in farewell, shutting the door when they turned to walk away.

It was only once both were seated and the car was running that he hesitated. "What's the matter? Steve asked after a couple of seconds.

Tony looked down at the clock. They still had time for one final stop, if they were quick, but he wasn't sure it would be. "I feel like I should stop and see Abby. I told her I would and it does feel right to leave without talking to her."

"Tony." Steve said seriously, turning to face him. "She broke into your apartment and _hit_ you. You don't owe her anything. If I didn't know how much she means to you, I'd have told you to arrest her."

"I know." Tony said softly. "But it's _Abby_."

"Being who she isn't doesn't excuse criminal behavior, babe." When Tony still didn't look convinced, he continued. "Okay, so say we go see her. How do you see things playing out? Do you think she'll be rational?" he questioned bluntly.

Tony flinched slightly, knowing the answer without having to think about it. "Probably not." He said aloud. "I've been gone a month. If she was going to cool down, she'd have done it by now. A day's not going to change much."

"I'm not going to tell you what do do, if you want to go see her we can." He offered freely.

Tony thought about it for another long moment. He finally shook his head, eyeing the clock again. "If we go, we'll probably miss our flight." Steve mentally questioned the validity of that statement, but didn't press. Tony put the car in gear and headed to the port. Once the car was loaded securely on the cargo ship, they ducked into the waiting taxi and were on their way to the airport.

Thirty minutes later, Tony was re-thinking his decision of not arresting the goth as airport security approached him from both sides. "What do you mean, I'm on the no-fly list?" Tony demanded, furiously quiet. "I'm a federal agent."

"I'm sorry sir, I have to go by what my screen says." The young woman defended herself.

"Do not touch me." Tony ordered with a sharp jab of his hand as the overweight man in a blue uniform attempted to grab his upper arm. "You don't have the authority to detain me." He pulled out his phone and dialed with short, sharp jabs.

"Hello?" The familiar feminine voice answered coyly.

"Abigail Sciuto, undo whatever it is you did, or I will arrest you." He ordered softly, voice still deathly calm. "This is not funny."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She denied shamelessly. "Are you on your way? I know your flight leaves soon, and you don't have much time left for our talk."

"Abby." He growled, glairing as armed police officers entered the atrium. "I'm about to get arrested. You and I both know I've done nothing they can hold me on, and when I get out, I swear to god you will take my place in a jail cell. Un-do it. Now."

The woman on the other end of the phone sighed petulantly and hung up. Tony turned stiffly back to the receptionist behind the counter. "Reload the page." He ordered the woman.

"Sir, I really don't think-" She tried to argue.

"Reload. The. Page." He said again, and he could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck. He tried to calm himself down, knowing the woman was doing her job and that it wasn't fair to take out his frustration of her, but he really wished she'd just do what he was telling her to do. "Please." He added stiffly.

The woman looked away and back down at the screen. She clicked a few buttons and then blinked in shock. Her brows furrowed and she hit a few more keys. "You're right, sir." She finally stuttered after another long few seconds. "You're no longer on the list." She looked up at the police officers helplessly, and Tony felt a flash of sympathy for the girl. "Your flight is departing from gate C26. It will be down the hall to your right. Please have a pleasant flight, and thank you for flying United Airlines." She finished feebly.

Tony nodded severely, once. He turned and headed down the hall. Steve followed quickly behind him, his own cell clenched tightly in hand- though, who he thought he'd call that could help him _here_ , Tony wasn't sure.

His phone chimed in his hand a second later, and he glanced down automatically. The words 'Well? Are you coming?' Glowed up at him and he had to repress the urge to chuck the think in a garbage bin they happened to be passing. Instead he tore the cover off and popped out the battery without hesitation.

Steve didn't comment but Tony eventually spoke up anyway, as they neared their gate. "You were right." He admitted suddenly as they headed to an empty patch of chairs to wait. "Going to see her wouldn't have helped anything. She's not behaving rationally." He said softly as they sat.

Steve smiled at him, somewhat sympathetically. "Maybe next time you visit, she'll be level headed enough to have an actual conversation with you." He offered in response.

"Yeah, maybe." He agreed. And even though he was leaving the mainland, still on rocky ground with the majority of his former coworkers, Tony felt excitement at returning to the island. He was looking forward to returning to his new home, to the sunshine and the warmth, and waking up the sparkling ocean dancing in the distance.

And despite some loose ends, he'd managed to solidify his relationship with two people who were still important to him- Ducky and Gibbs. He may have lost Abby, Ziva, and Tim for the time being, but a lot of that discomfort had faded when he realized he still held the esteem of two people whose opinions mattered most to him.

Knowing that, with Steve by his side and a whole new future to discover, Tony smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

No New La Mua (To New Beginnings)

When Steve told him the Governor wanted them to allow the talk show host Savannah Walker to shadow them for a segment of her show, he'd about busted his gut laughing. Steve, along with his shorter blonde detective, had equally disgruntled expressions in the face of his amusement.

He tried to stop the laughter, but by the time he was able to, tears were filling his eyes and he could feel the flush in his face. "This isn't funny." Steve said, arms crossed and a surely expression on his face.

Tony snorted out another laugh from his spot reclining in the sand of the private beach in his partner's back yard. "It isn't?" He managed. "Have you ever watched her show?"

"No." Steve said, at the same time Danny said "Yes." The exchanged looks, Steve's disbelieving and Danny's defensive.

"What?" He demanded. "I grew up in Jersey with my ma and three sisters around most the time. What the hell kind of crap do you think they watched? Give me a break." He finished in a mumble as Steve joined Tony in laughter.

"I'm sorry, man." Steve said, raising his had to cover his heart. He snorted again. "Truly." He choked out. "That must have been terrible for you."

"Yeah, Yeah. Fuck you." The short man replied. So maybe they'd all had (more than) a few beers already, but it was the weekend, the Five-O team didn't have a case, and Tony still had a couple of weeks before he was due to meet his new team.

"I don't know what you're making fun of him for." Tony spoke up. "As the leader of the team, you know the cameras are gonna follow you the most, right?"

"Hey!" Danny exclaimed in an offended tone. "Why do you think they'll follow him more than me?" He demanded.

Tony laughed again, head dropping back to rest in the sand. "No offense, Danny. You're a good looking guy, but come on." He said, shooting 'come hither' eyes at his partner. Danny scoffed to the side, but the two's gazes had locked and Steve started to move towards him with a predatory expression over taking his face.

Steve rolled onto his knees and then crawled the short distance over to him, coming to loom over him on all fours. 'Oh, come one.' Could be heard in the background, but Tony's sole focus was on the chapped lips pressing firmly against his. He allowed his hazy focus to become lost in the sensation for an indeterminate amount of time.

The sand falling over the two gained their sudden, startled, attention. Danny stood over the pair, arms crossed as he glared down at them. "I'm going to bed. Don't wake me up falling over each other on the way to the bedroom." He demanded, tone grouchy.

Tony broke first, startled expression fracturing into another laugh. Steve joined him a second later, dropping his head to rest on the reclining mans chest. The detective huffed again before he left and then they were alone before the gently cresting waves of the ocean. Steve raised his head up a second later and met his lips in a much gentler kiss than they'd been involved moments before. The full moon above them lit the world in an ethereal glow and they quickly found themselves lost in each other again quickly.

When things started to get more heated, Steve pulled back. "He was right about one thing." Steve rumbled, voice deep and fractured. "We should move this to the bedroom."

"What's wrong?" Tony teased, near breathless. "Not a fan of sex on the beach anymore?"

Steve pulled back to shoot him a look, and the swollen redness of his lips shouldn't have been as much of a turn on as they were. "Anymore?" He replied incredulously. "Do you remember how long you were bitching about sand after that?"

Tony tilted his head and studied the man above him. "Not really." He finally said, drawing him back to his lips. "Mostly just remember the feel of you matching the sound of the waves."

"Well I remember." Steve disputed, drawing back. "Come on," He enticed, tugging gently on his hand. "I'll still match the waves- just, in the comfort of my bed." Tony laughed again as he allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He over balanced, but Steve caught him before he could fall. They were quickly distracted by each other, and found themselves pressed together once again.

The journey was complicated by grabby hands, clumsy kisses and less than steady gaits. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Steve took advantage of the solidness of the wall by pressing the shorter man firmly back against it. He cupped his neck with one hand, the other resting low on his hip, and delivered a filthy promise of more to his partner.

The pillow colliding with the wall beside them broke them apart suddenly, and they remembered that Danny had gone to sleep on the couch. They'd clearly broken their promise not to wake him, Tony thought with another laugh. He pushed Steve away and turned to stumble up the stairs. But when they did get to the good part sometime later? Steve definitely kept his promise to match the sound of the waves.

The crews filming had been rough, and they were all glad when the Savanah Walker and her posse packed up to head back to the mainland. With pressure mostly from Tony and Kono, Steve agreed to record the show when it aired at some ridiculous hour, and then to have the Ohana over later that night to watch it. The time had finally come, and no one was sure exactly what had made the show and what hadn't. It had to get approval from the higherup's, but Steve had washed his hands of the whole thing as soon as he could, and chose not to be part of that review.

Thus, when they were all settled in they were all eager to see what was going to happen. The opening bit was expected fluff, but luckily it wasn't long before they cut to introducing Five-O. "Aw, look how cute you were." Tony whispered to Steve, who sat beside him, when they flashed a picture of him as a kid. "Mmmm." He added a second later when it showed his image in full dress uniform.

"Oh, was I supposed to say something back to you?" Brought laughter all around, as did Danny's reaction to her attempts to talk, and his dramatic exit from the room. They watched in silence for the next couple of minutes, broken only by laughter and other random little sounds.

When they got to the actual crime scene, Tony heard Steve mutter 'Seriously?' at the footage and audio they manage to get even before they got Max to spy. Tony rubbed his thigh sympathetically. Max's introduction caused laugher all around, and more than a few pieces of popcorn flew towards his own seated form when his response to her request for a favor was 'of course.'

"Really, Max?" Danny spoke up. "You agreed that easily?"

Tony flinched slightly when Wo Fat was identified a minute later. Over the course of the investigation, Steve had filled him in on just who Wo Fat was, and everything the man had done to his family. The hand still resting on Steves thigh squeezed again during Chin's interview, and Steve brought his own hand to rest over the top of Tony's, fingers lacing with his own from above.

Unified scoffing occurred during Fong's interview, especially when he claimed that most of the heavy lifting occurred behind the microscope. "How about next time, he can get shot at and I'll stay in the lab." Danny muttered from Steves other side.

"This woman is unbelievable." Tony murmured when they were talking to their victims girlfriend and the camera man panned in through the blinds. "I'm surprised you hadn't kicked her out by that point."

"Trust me, nothing would have made me happier. I did have words with her after that, but the Governor ordered the show to continue."

They continued to watch, mostly in silence. Tony's brow rose when Catherine came on camera. He hadn't expected her to make an appearance, and he had to bite his tongue when she said "he usually repays in in breakfast or dinner- it's kind of a game we play."

When Savannah asked if she was his girlfriend and she smiled and then coyly didn't actually answer the question, Tony felt a small spark of anger. It was clear by Steves tensing that he wasn't expecting that conversation any more than Tony had, though he had much more of a reason to be angry. He could get in serious trouble over conduct with some of the stuff the woman was saying. When she brushed off a misuse of government resources, both he and Catherine's' CO could have gotten pulled under investigation. Steve let out a quiet huff of aggravation and glared at the woman onscreen with a muttered 'unbelievable.'

And really, what did she think she was going to accomplish with that little stunt? It wasn't going to do anything to endear Steve to her, it wasn't going to change the state of their relationship. Convincing the world that she was his girlfriend wasn't going to make it so. Was she delusional? It kind of seemed like it. Still, Steve didn't say anything further, and so Tony bit his tongue.

They watched the rest of the show, but found it to be a bit more depressing than amusing once they got more involved with the crime scene. By the time it was over, everyone was a little somber as they made their way out. When Steve came back from showing everyone off, he plopped down onto his back, left knee was pulled up and propped against the back of the couch, while the other hung over the edge and rested comfortably on the floor.

Tony took the open posture as an invitation and moved to lay across the other man's body, resting his head over Steve's chest and settling himself between the spread thighs. Steve moved to welcome him, bringing his other leg up to bracket Tony's body and resting his arms loosely over his lower back. Tony signed in contentment from his perch. "I'm sorry the filming ended up being as awful as you thought it would be." He said quietly. Steve shrugged slightly, but didn't respond.

They continued to lay in silence for several long minutes, each lost in thought. "So, what do you want to do this weekend?" Steve finally murmured.

"Mmmm." Tony hummed, reaching up to toy with the end of Steve's shirt sleeve. "You've been talking about wanting to take me spear fishing. We could do that." He offered.

"We could do that. There's a great spot about an hour's drive from here. Could make a day of it."

"That sounds nice. I'm going to miss this when I have to start working again." He joked.

"What do you mean? We'll still be able to do plenty."

"Yeah, of course we will, but we just won't have quite as much freedom."

"So, you know what that means?" Steve asked slyly.

"What's that?"

"That we need to take advantage of it as much as possible while we still can. Oh, we could hop over to Hawai'i' and go to the Volcano National Park. Halema'uma'u has been pretty active, I've heard."

"Oh, we could do that. I still haven't been."

"Great, I'll make the arrangement." Steve said ducking his head down to nuzzle Tony's hair. Tony looked up at the sensation and then pulled himself up further so that he could reach Steve's lips. The first kiss was soft, just a pressing of lips on lips, but then Steve _shifted_ , scooting himself a bit further down, and lifting his arms to grasp at Tony's narrow hips. It was a favorite move of his, he loved how well Tony's frame fit in his hands, how perfect he felt held against him. The kisses turned more heated and after a few minutes, Steve pulled Tony's shirt over his head in a sudden, unexpected, motion. Tony moved to return the favor, but quickly realized Steve's shirt was tucked under him in a way that wouldn't be removable in their current position.

Steve realized the same thing and decided to flip their positions. Their legs became slightly tangled together, and it was enough that Steve miscalculated the move and ended up resting over Tony, who found himself laying on the floor in front of the sofa. Tony's head dropped back and he laughed huskily, but quickly found himself moaning as Steve took advantage of the new position, unfazed by the change in location.

The next morning, the two men woke still pressed together on the hard floor. Both were used to sleeping in odd, uncomfortable places, so it really wasn't surprising that they were able to get a decent night's sleep, despite the unusual choice of bed. And that they woke still naked and mussed from the night before simply lead to easier access when they silently decided to skip their morning workout in favor of round two.

When they finished, Tony sent Steve upstairs to start getting ready for work while he cleaned up and started coffee. When he made his own way upstairs, Steve was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, shaving. Tony stepped up behind him and wrapped bare arms around the still naked form of his lover, and lent up to press a kiss to the underside of Steve's freshly shaven jaw.

He could feel Steve's eyes on him when he pulled away and headed over to the shower, and if he put on a little show while starting the water, well, who could blame him. He stepped under the spray and heard Steve's razor clatter into the sink just a few seconds later. He was joined by the other man and found himself pinned against the wall, Steve's lips on his.

Tony allowed it for several long seconds, but eventually pushed him away with a laugh. "Haven't you gotten enough?" He joked, stepping back under the spray. Steve followed him, trailing his fingertips over wet flesh.

"Mmmm, never." Steve replied, ducking under the spray himself to kiss him again.

"Never? Well I don't know about you, but I'm not twenty anymore, and don't think I can go again quite this fast." Tony joked, pushing him away again.

Steve pouted at him, but broke out in a smile at the look Tony sent him in return. They did eventually finish showering, though both were impeded by grabby hands and easy distractions. It wasn't until they stepped out that Tony noticed something. "You should fix you sideburns, they're a little uneven." He commented casually, wrapping a towel around his waist.

"What?" Steve replied, turning to wipe away the small amount of condensation that had formed. "Damn it." He cursed when he could see. Tony passed behind him to get dressed and was just pulling on his shirt when he heard the front door close and Danny's voice call out to Steve.

"I'll tell him you'll be down in a sec." Tony offered, moving towards the door.

It ended up being several minutes before Steve came down, and Tony and Danny heard him coming from where they stood in the kitchen. "You're teaching him some bad habits you know." Danny said, voice deliberately loud and carrying. "He was never late before you came into the picture."

"I'm still not late." Steve disputed, moving to stand in front of the travel mug that waited for him next to Tony.

"You are late, actually." Danny argued, holding a cup of his own. "You're supposed to be ready when I get here, not just getting outta the shower."

"We technically don't even have to be at the Palace for another hour."

"Yes, but I like to be early."

"Not being early isn't the same thing as being late, Danny."

"No, but not being early opens the door to being late. What if there's a car accident, or a sinkhole, or a frigging hurricane?" Danny demanded.

Steve shook his head and turned to his amused partner. "We're going." He said, pressing a kiss to Tony's forehead. "Mahalo for the coffee. I'll see you later."

"I'll lock up when I leave." Tony promised.

"Wait, we can't go yet, I haven't finished my coffee." Danny said, lifting his mug for emphasis.

"Ohh no, I wouldn't want to make you late or, you know, on time. Let's go." Steve responded, heading to the door.

Danny mumbled something under his breath and downed the rest of his coffee in one long drink. "Later." He said to Tony before hustling after his taller counterpart. Tony shook his head with a smile as he heard the two continue to bicker until the door closed behind them.

Later that morning, Tony received a text from Steve telling him that they were having a slow day at work and asking if he wanted to meet them for lunch at Kamekona's. When he arrived, he could see Danny's car already in the parking lot and was a little surprised to see the makeshift Sumo Wrestling ring built into the sand beside the shrimp truck and a bright (and very interesting) sign reading 'Kamekona's Sumo Smash 'Em Challenge.'

The familiar sight of Steve and Danny standing next to each other caught his eye immediately and he started making his way over to them. With the crowd of people forming a circle, he didn't realize Catherine was standing beside Steve until he got closer. They didn't notice him at first and he could hear them talking as we walked up behind them.

"You've gotta be kidding me, he's not even trying to make it look like a fair fight." Steve said when Kamekona selected the next contestant to wrestle Flippa.

"No no no no, I like her." Danny disputed. "She's uh, she's very scrappy- I'm not gonna lie."

"I like her too." Tony said, announcing himself. "I think she can take him."

"Hey you." Steve said turning towards him.

"Hey." Tony smiled at him and then nodded to the other two.

They were joined by Chin and Kona a few seconds later. "Whole new look there, boss." Kono said as they arrived. Everyone turned to look at Steve, who shot them all a defensive, annoyed look. "Everybody, really?" He said. "Okay, it's hair. You know the good thing about hair? It grows back."

"Well, if you're lucky." Chin piped up, drawing laughter and another scowl.

Tony covered his own laugh with his hand, and Steve's attention turned to him, looking betrayed. Tony dropped his hand and mouthed 'sorry.'

"Sorry?" Danny spoke out loud, having caught the exchange. "Why are you sorry? Are you the reason he goofed up his hair? Is it the same reason he was late this morning?"

"For the last time, I wasn't late." Steve defended, but was interrupted before he could continue by his phone ringing.

They watched the fight while Steve was on the phone. "We've got a case." The man said a second later. The team immediately turned and headed up to the parking lot but Steve paused. He pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead. "Guess we're going to have to take a raincheck on lunch."

"No problem. Let me know when the case wraps up."

"I will." Steve promised before following the others.

Tony found himself standing alone beside Catherine and felt a flash of awkwardness. "Well," He said as the fight finished and the crowd cheered. "I guess I'll see you around." He finished, turning to leave himself.

"Wait!" Catherine exclaimed. He paused, back to her. "You came here for lunch, right? Let's have lunch." She offered.

Tony was glad his back was to her, so that he didn't have to try and control the expression that overtook his face at the idea.

"Uh," He said, steeling himself, but in truth he did come there for lunch and he couldn't think of a reason to leave without just coming across as rude. Not the worst thing, but maybe not necessary quite yet. "Yeah, sure." He finally said, hiding a grimace. They made their way back to the truck and ordered separately. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, the majority of the crowd was down in the sand and so there were several empty tables. They sat across for each other, silence stretching into uncomfortable.

"So, you and Steve have been spending a lot of time together." She chose to start with.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." He agreed.

"Things must be getting pretty serious." She continued, voice casual.

Tony raised a brow at her, but took a bite in lieu of answering.

"You've only been here, what, two months?"

"Almost." Tony agreed.

"Things must be moving along pretty quick. You guys are hardly ever apart."

Tony sighed quietly and set down his fork. "Or maybe it's because I'm on an extended vacation, and have a lot of free time right now." He shrugged and held up his hands. "But seriously, where are you going with this?" He asked bluntly. "No offence, but I hardly know you, and I don't usually make a habit of discussing my relationships with strangers."

"Oh, well, I'm hardly a stranger." She brushed off. "Steve's a really good friend of mine. I'm just looking out for him." She said, shooting a smile his direction.

"Uh, yeah." Tony said back, deadpanned. "I've heard about the nature of your relationship with Steve."

Her eyes darted back to his, and it was pretty clear what he meant. "Oh, he told you? About, uh,?" She asked, looking flustered for the first time.

"Why wouldn't he?" Tony asked in return. He knew he should stop there, but was feeling a little vindictive at her less than subtle probing. "I've had my own casual hookups since we broke up, I'd hardly hold his against him."

Anger flashed over her expression, but only for a fraction of a second. He was a little impressed at how well she could control her expressions.

"Still," She said, voice taunt. "I consider Steve a good friend- one of the best I have, and I just wanted to see how things were going."

"Fair enough." Tony replied easily, though the words felt like a lie as they passed his lips.

"Have things been going well?" She pressed, and Tony's own control was growing thinner with her continued boldness.

"Things have been great." He replied. "It's almost like we never broke up."

"That was a really long time ago though, right?"

"About eight, almost nine, years ago."

"It must be weird. I'm sure a lot's changed."

"Not really." Tony forced a smile.

"No?" She sounded surprised. "Well, like you said, we don't know each other very well, so I'm not sure what your life has been like during that time," she let out a synthetic sounding laugh. "But I know Steve has been through some pretty bad situations. He seems okay most of the time but, well. Have you been around for one of his nightmares yet?" she asked, ducking to lean closer to him.

His eyes narrowed the slightest bit as he tilted his head towards her. He didn't reply right away- wasn't sure how to reply to that, honestly. She continued before he could work it out. "They can get pretty intense, and he can be, well," She shot him a pitting look. "He can be pretty difficult to be around when he gets like that." The 'Are you sure you can handle it?' floated unspoken on the air, but was heard all the same.

Tony had, in fact, been with Steve when he'd suffered one of his nightmares, but unlike Catherine, he wasn't prepared to use such knowledge to try and one-up her. He knew how private Steve was, especially when it involved something he perceived as weakness- like having nightmares in the first place. That she was willing to throw something out in the open like that so casually infuriated him on Steve's behalf. He forced himself to be calm, and smiled again. Despite his best efforts, the smile came through brittle and vicious. "Can I ask you a question, Catherine?" He asked.

"Of course!" She offered, smiling at him and she was so transparent that disgust churned in his throat.

"You know Steve from Naval Intelligence, right?" He didn't wait for her response before he continued. "Have you ever been in live combat?"

Her chin raised slightly as she stared at him. "I've done a lot of reconnaissance and intel gathering in hot zones." She finally responded, when it was clear he wasn't going to let the question go.

"Right, but I mean have you ever been in a situation where you've had to open fire? Have you ever been given a target that you're responsible for?" He pressed further.

Her arms came up and crossed over her chest defensively. "No?" He continued. "You've never had to kill anyone?"

"No." She finally replied. "I've never actually been responsible for someone's death- at least not directly."

"Then let me tell you something about it. I've been pretty lucky, I haven't had to pull the trigger too often, all things considered. But when I do? I focus on the one small, bullet sized target I'm aiming for. I don't think about them as a person- I can't, not in that moment, or I wouldn't be able to do my job. But after? When they've stopped breathing, and it's done, and there's no going back?" She met him stare for stare. "You think about it, you think about everything, for weeks, months- Year's after, you'll remember their face, or the last thing they were doing, or the picture of their family, and it'll be so sudden and so vibrant it's like it just happened. It'll wake you in the middle of the night and you'll swear you can feel the weapon in your hand. Then? Then, you think about everything. Did they have a family? Children? How many? Elderly parent's they were caring for? How many people are still grieving the life you took?"

She didn't seem to get it and so he pressed further still. "I've been lucky." He repeated. "I don't know how many times Steve has had to stand in that position over the last few years, and I probably don't want to know. It's great that you haven't had to be in that position, that you haven't had to face the knowledge that you ended a **life** , but those of us that have? Those of us that are still human, anyway? We have to face it. It doesn't go away. Even when years have passed, even when the conscious memory had faded from your waking thoughts- it's still there, lingering under the surface, and sometimes it just pops up. You might not have known how to respond to Steve when he falls into that pit, but luckily I don't have that issue." He cut himself off. There was so much more he could say, so much more that wanted to come out- but why? He hadn't been worried about her before, not truly, but now? Now he knew he didn't have anything to worry about. She may have been attractive, she may have had the Navy in common with Steve and they may have had a past, but she didn't get him, not like Tony did, and not like Steve got Tony. He stood instead, gathering us his garbage with a small shake of his head. "This was nice. We should definitely," He paused slightly with a crooked smile, "uh, definitely, do this again sometime." He turned to walk away, but paused once. "I trust you're not planning to gossip about Steve with anyone else?" He couldn't help tossing casually over his shoulder just before getting into his car and driving away. He didn't look back.

That weekend, Steve picked Tony up from his house at six am Saturday morning. Rather than heading for the airport, as he'd expected, they made their way to a private airfield that declared 'Makani Kai Helicopters.' Steve parked and hopped out immediately while Tony followed slightly slower. Steve grabbed his huge backpack out of the back of the truck and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing a good sized cooler. Tony grabbed his own duffle bag and followed him as he made his way over to the helicopter standing alone in the middle of the asphalt.

"Richard!" Steve exclaimed when they were closer.

"Steve, good to see you." The other man said, turning to face them from where he'd been examining something within the open door. "She's all ready for you. Remember there's nowhere to land a copter up on the mountain, but I've already spoken to Hilo airport- they're contracted with a bunch of helicopter tour companies, and they know you'll be flying in. They'll also refuel for your return trip tomorrow."

"Hey man, I really appreciate this." Steve replied, shaking his hand after he set down the cooler. "Uh, this is Tony DiNozzo, my partner, Tony this is Richard Schuman, he's done some work with Five-O in the past."

"Nice to meet you." Tony said, reaching forward for a handshake of his own.

"Likewise." Richard said. "But I won't keep you. Need anything before I go?" He asked, directing the question to Steve.

"No, I think we're good."

"Alright, well then have a blast and we'll see you tomorrow."

"Mahalo." Steve replied, taking Richards place in the doorway and loading his backpack, the cooler, and then holding out a hand for Tony's own bag. Soon after, they were seated in the helicopter and flying over the ocean.

"It's a two-hour flight." Steve told Tony over the headset, who nodded in acknowledgement, eyes glued on the gorgeous spread beneath them. Steve pointed out various landmarks as they came into view- the different islands they passed over and random little tidbits about them. It was an enjoyable two hours and they were soon cleared to land at the airfield.

Steve had planned ahead, and a jeep was waiting for them at the airport car rental pickup. They set out immediately. "So where are we going from here?" Tony asked after a few minutes of driving.

"You'll see." Steve replied, shooting a smile over at him.

"You're not going to tell me?"

"We'll be there in about," He paused to glance at his watch. "Thirty minutes, give or take. Trust me, you're gonna love it. I have the whole day today planned, and then tomorrow, if there's anything in particular you want to do we can do that. Otherwise, we just have to have the helicopter back before Monday Morning."

"Alright," Tony agreed with a small laugh. "I trust you."

Steve shot him that smile again, the one that brought a feeling a warmth to his chest, and Tony knew he'd follow the other man anywhere he wanted to go, let him plan whatever he wanted to plan, and he'd do it all happily just to see that smile.

Twenty-five minutes later, they pulled up to the Volcano Village Lodge. Steve ran inside to check in while Tony waited in the car. When Steve came back out, he moved the jeep to another parking lot. They started walking, following the directions Steve had been given, and soon came to a wooden sign listing five different names and arrows. "We're in Haleakala." Steve said, changing course as the sign directed.

The room, when they arrived, was breathtaking. It was shaped like an octagon, with a queen-sized bed, vaulted ceiling, dining table set for two, private lanai, and tons of windows facing out into the rainforest surrounding the lodge. Despite being one of five rooms, it felt completely isolated and private. "How did you do this?" Tony asked, a bit in awe. "We just planned this a few days ago, how'd you get a reservation _here_?"

Steve shot him a boyish wink, but didn't respond. "Alright, so we're going to be doing a bit of hiking, so if you want to change you should do it now. We'll come back to the room at eight to shower, and then we have a dinner reservation at nine. Sound good?"

"Mmm, sounds perfect." Tony said, stepping forward to press himself against Steves chest and leaning up for a kiss. Steve obliged, but only briefly.

"We should head out." He said when he pulled away a few seconds later.

"Yeah, just let me change my shoes." Tony said, opening his duffle to pull out his well-worn hiking shoes. He'd bought them upon arriving on the island, and he'd worn them enough they already looked old and loved.

The headed out and arrived at the Kīlauea Visitor Center just as it was opening at 9:00. They spent the rest of the day hiking around various points in the park. They did use the car to skip from one point to the next, rather than spending the time hiking it. If they had more time, they would have done so, but there was so much to see. They started with Kilauea Iki, then headed over to the Thurston Lava Tube, and then Devastation Trail. A yellow warning sign gave him a slight pause when they arrived at that particular point, proclaiming 'DANGER- VOLCANIC FUMES ARE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH AND MAY BE LIFE THREATENING. DO NOT ENTER THIS AREA IF YOU ARE A PERSON AT RISK' and then listed the following points: Respiratory problems, Heart Problems, Pregnant, and Infants & young children. Still, how dangerous could it possibly be? He asked himself, continuing on.

His lungs did feel a little irritated when they finished that point, but not too bad and so he pushed it down and ignored the prickling. After, they drove the Chain of Craters road which, unsurprisingly, ended where hardened lava flow covered the blacktop. They got out and explored a bit, and then headed to the Holei Sea Arch. They doubled back and hiked the short trail were the Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs were at, and then ended the day at the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area, just as the sun was setting. There were able to see the lava a short distance away and found themselves sitting and watching nature put on her show, Tony's back pressed against Steve's chest.

When eight o'clock came around, Steve nudged Tony up, who moaned quietly at the soreness setting into his body. They made the short drive back to their room to shower and dress and then set off again almost immediately. They arrived at a place called 'The Rim,' where they were shown to a window front table overlooking the Halema'uma'u Crater, bright flashes and billows of oranges, yellows and reds visible through the darkness.

The dinner itself was absolutely delicious. They had Hilo Chicken Satay for their appetizer, which was grilled chicken skewers glazed with pineapple puree, mirin wine, sugar cane and cilantro, served with some kind of peanut dipping sauce. For their entree's, Steve ordered the Mauka & Makai- a New York Strip Steak, served with sautéed mushrooms, a butter poached lobster tail and then mashed potatoes, macadamia nut green beans and a fresh herb compound butter. Tony ordered the Hilo Coffee-Rubbed Lamb, which was half a rack marinated in Hilo coffee, garlic and rosemary and then pan seared and served with purple sweet potato mash, the same green beans, and a coffee demi glaze sauce.

"I have dessert back at the room." Steve said as they were finishing up that amazing food.

"Desert?" Tony said. "I'm not sure I have room for that." He joked, rubbing his stomach.

"Well we don't have to eat it right away." Steve replied, innuendo heavy in his voice.

"Oh? And what will we do instead?" Tony teased.

"We'll think of something." They fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for the server to return with Steve's debit card.

"Thank you for this weekend." Tony said after a couple of minutes. "Today was great, I couldn't imagine a better way to finish my vacation."

"Are you looking forward to work on Monday?" Steve asked, conversationally.

"You know, I think I am, actually. As nice as it's been to go where ever and do whatever, I'm starting to go a little stir crazy. I haven't had this much free time in- well, actually, ever."

"You've never been one for relaxation."

"Hey, I'm all for relaxation! Just, in small amounts." He defended. "And as if you're one to talk." He shot back pointedly. And it was true, both when they were together the first time and since they'd been together again, Steve was like a machine. Even on his days off, he always got in at least one workout (though, that workout had been altered to include Tony and a flat surface more than once), and usually found something to do. He very rarely took an entire day to relax or do nothing, he'd go crazy if he tried. He'd go surfing, or go for a long run or swim, or run errands, or work on his dads old car.

Tony, on the other hand, occasionally had weekends where he'd lock himself in his apartment and spend two whole days doing nothing but watching movies and eating. It was rare and far in-between, but he did enjoy it every once in a while.

Their waitress set the receipt and Steve's card down beside his elbow with a smile and asked if they needed anything else. She walked away when they declined and Steve quickly signed the paper, grabbed his card and stood to go. "That's just another reason we're good together." Steve said as they began strolling towards the door, continuing where their conversation had left off. "Neither of us like being bored, and I, at least, am never bored when I'm with you." He bumped his shoulder playfully into Tony's.

Tony laughed, pressing closer. "I think that may be a lie, but I'll take it."

"Why do you think it's a lie?" Steve pouted.

"Because there have been plenty of time's we've been together and bored, babe. It may have been a while, but I'm sure it'll happen again eventually."

Steve tilted his head. "Ok, I guess that's probably true." He agreed. "Still, I would much rather be bored and be with you, than be bored and not with you."

"Sap." Tony teased. "But I feel the same way." The paused together by the jeep and met for long, leisurely kiss under the stars. They broke apart when another group exited, chatting away and breaking the silence. They pulled back and got in the jeep.

When they arrived back in their room, a bottle of champagne and an assorted variety of chocolate covered fruits sat on ice on their dining table. They ignored them at first, coming back together in the privacy and seclusion of their room. They eventually made their way to the bed, and indulged in a slow, leisurely round of love making with naught but the sounds of nature serenading them.

After, they made their way back into the shower for another quick wash. The shower was equally lazy, and filled more with slick limbs sliding together than actually washing. When they did get out, they took the champagne and fruit out onto the lanai.

Steve poured them each a glass and then held his up in toast. "To new beginnings." He said softly.

"To new beginnings." Tony replied with a smile as they clinked their glasses gently together. And they sat there together, under the cover of a rainforest, nibbling in their dessert and enjoying being in each others company.

The next day they took the scenic coastal road up north to explore more of the island. They spent the day essentially being tourists, though Steve had been to the big island many times before. They found themselves at a little walk up stand called 'What's Shakin,' where they ate lunch. After, and with the recommendations of the locals they spoke to, they headed to Umauma Falls to take the zip line tour. They boasted over two miles of zip line, a suspension bridge and the view of eighteen different waterfalls.

They offered a 'Rappel & River experience' too, but when Tony had pointed it out, Steve had murmured, "If you want to rappel down a cliff and into a river, we can take my gear and do that back in Oahu for free."

"Fair enough." Tony laughed. "Zip line tour it is." Tony headed over to book it for them. There was a thirty minute wait for their turn, and Tony asked the man behind the counter if he could recommend any other 'must-do's.' At his recommendation, Tony took out his phone and looked up the Manta Ray Night Charter.

He wandered back over to Steve, scrolling through the various options. "Hey, look at this." He said, offering it to his partner. Steve took the phone from him and glanced down at the screen.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of this. It sounds pretty cool." Steve replied.

"It does. We could do the Manta Ray Dive, and either the Twilight Reef dive at sunset, or the blackwater dive. What do you think?"

"The blackwater dive looks cool. Look at this." He said, clicking on an image of a glowing jellyfish.

"Oh wow, that's amazing." Tony replied, scrolling through the various other pictures. "Do you want to do it?" He asked, clicking on 'Book Now.'

"I'm fine with that, and then we can head to the airport after?"

"Yeah, that should work out pretty good."

The rest of the day passed by too quickly, and they were soon touching down back on Oahu. It was coming up on midnight when they were back in Steve's truck, and they knew the morning was going to come quick. "Do you want to come to mine, or me to drop you at yours?" Steve asked as he put the truck in hear and started off.

"I should probably go to mine." Tony said, and damn it if he didn't feel a bit disappointed at the idea. Need to go in early to get my desk and stuff set up before the team comes in. Plus, I don't have any suits at your place, so I'd have to drive back to mine first anyway."

"Well, we could stop by your place so you can get what you need, and then you could follow me back to mine in your car." Steve offered.

"That's going to take at least an extra half hour. It'll be one o'clock by the time we make it to yours. Don't you want to get home?"

"Well, sure. But not as much as I want you to sleep in my bed tonight."

Tony knew it would be more logical to just go home and go to bed, but damn it if Steve's puppy dog expression didn't get him. And if he were honest, he didn't really want to sleep alone either. "Ok." He agreed. "Let's stop by my place first." Steve's expression morphed, and an expression somewhere between contentment and satisfaction curled his lips.

And when Steve's hand found his thigh somewhere along the way, well, Tony just leaned a little more in his direction, contentment of his own curling in his chest.

~*~ END ~*~

If you're curious, here are links to some of the things that Tony and Steve did on their trip:

Their Room (Haleakala, at the Volcano Village Lodge)

.

Where they had dinner ('The Rim,' Volcano House)

dining/

Umauma Falls & ZipLine Experience:

watch?v=iT0qwVBBs44

Manta Ray and Blackwater Dive video:

watch?v=iT0qwVBBs44


	5. Chapter 5

A hoʻi i ka lanakila (And Back to Reality)

Tony drug himself out of bed just after four am- a scant three hours after he went to sleep. He was so tempted to skip his morning run and get an extra hour of sleep, but he knew when he was this tired the run would help wake him up more than skipping it would. Steve was still asleep when Tony woke, but stirred when he sat up on the edge of the bed. 'Lucky bastard.' Tony thought fondly at the knowledge that the other man didn't have to leave for several hours still.

So he drug himself up, pulled on the clothes he'd had the foresight to set next to the bed the night before and trudged from the room. He grabbed a bottle of water to take a drink of, pulled on his shoes and set off. It was still mostly dark outside, but the air had begun to lighten and the moons reflection off the ocean gave him enough to see by. He felt a little more short of breath than normal, but attributed it to his overly tired state and ignored it best he could.

He arrived back at the house just before six to find Steve awake in the kitchen, cooking something on the stove. Tony changed course to greet him good morning and saw that he was just starting omelets. "It'll be about ten or so more minutes if you want to jump in the shower." Steve commented.

Tony pressed a kiss to his shoulder in thanks and headed upstairs. He took a quick shower, dried off, ran some product through his hair and then got partially dressed. He pulled on his boxer briefs and pants, and then pulled his button up on and left it open for the moment. His tie, jacket, socks and shoes he carried with him back downstairs. He'd always used his clothes like a suit of armor, and his favorite suit always made him feel more confident in himself.

The food was finished when he arrived back downstairs and they headed out to eat on the lanai just as the sunrise was really starting. They ate together in silence, both content to enjoy the stillness of the morning, with naught but the sounds of nature surrounding them, and each other for company.

When six-thirty came around, Tony was completely dressed and ready to go. "Thank you for breakfast." Tony murmured from where he was pressed against Steve in a farewell embrace.

"You're welcome." Steve replied, voice soft and husky. "I'd wish you good luck, but you don't need it." He continued. "Let me know how it goes, yeah?"

"'Course. Alright, I should go." _I love you_ tried to bubble up to the surface, but he didn't let it escape. They'd only been together just over five weeks and, and, despite the ease with which they'd fallen back into their relationship, it still felt too fast to say it out loud. "I'll call you tonight." He finished with instead and Steve didn't seem to notice his hesitation.

"Talk to you then." Steve said, pressing one more kiss to the top of Tony's head before pulling away. Tony grabbed his bag, made sure he had his cell, key's and sunglasses, and then set off for his first day as team lead in Hawaii.

The Pearl Harbor Naval Base was enormous. It was like it's only little city, complete with a golf course, baseball fields, a school, and so much more. Luckily he'd been given directions on how to find the NCIS office, or he would have been completely lost trying to find it himself.

Deputy Director Samuel Worth met him upon his arrival. He was a friendly looking man, who was just slightly overweight with a grey receding hairline and a half-smile that looked at home on his face. "Agent DiNozzo, I've heard good things. I'm looking forward to working with you." The man greeted him with a firm handshake.

"The feeling is mutual, sir. When I accepted the job, Secretary Jarvis said you served as his Personal Security Advisor for a couple of years. I imagine that's a pretty tall order." Tony remarked.

"And thus, my return to NCIS." The older man joked. Tony smiled, feeling more at ease already.

They began walking until they came to a large, open room. It was two stories, but the second story was open in the middle, with a walkway around the exterior and a scattering of doors. The main floor was set up with three desks, covered in a random assortment of papers, files, writing utensils and old coffee mugs- some more organized than others. Worth led him to an empty office at the front of the room. It was a good sized office, with a window facing out over the base, a large mahogany desk, and a set of file cabinets that were currently empty. A gold colored name plate was already in place on his desk, proclaiming 'SAC A. DiNozzo.' The SAC, of course, stood for Special Agent in Charge. Three files waited for him on the center of the desk, along with a black case.

Worth walked over and picked up the case. From it came Tony's new badge, security key card and service weapon. "The files are on the members of your team. You'll have at least today to get familiar with them before we issue you a case. I can't guarantee anything beyond that."

"Oh, no, I completely understand. I appreciate having today." Tony said and then paused. "I actually have kind of an odd request to make."

"Oh?"

"This office is great, it'll be really nice for the nights I stay late doing paperwork, but I wonder if I might actually have a desk out in the bullpen for when we're working active cases? I feel like I'd be pretty disconnected from my team in here."

"That's not a problem, I'll have the boys move one in right away. Anything else you need of the bat?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Well then I'll leave you to get settled in. Your team will be here at eight, let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, sir."

The first team member arrived at ten to eight. He was an average sized man with a nice tan, dirty blonde hair and a lithe, but muscular, build. He paused slightly when he saw the rearranged room and added desk, but still carried himself confidently and moved to the desk farthest on the left that was also the most organized. He seated himself and immediately moved to boot up his computer. Tony remained in his office, door closed and blinds shuddered save for the line he was peering discreetly through. He wanted to observe their interactions with each other before making his presence known.

The second to arrive was a woman. She was shorter than the first man, with brown hair pulled back into a French braid and a large cup of coffee clenched in her hand. She greeted the first man friendly enough, casually asking if he knew the reason for the change while she moved to take a seat at the desk to his left, which was also the most cluttered. Finally, the last member arrived right at eight o'clock. He was huge compared to the other two, and Tony knew he would tower over him as well. He looked Samoan, with bronze skin, bulging muscles and dark tribal tattoos. His hair was cut short and looked dark brown or black. His pause was more pronounced, but he simply nodded at the first two and took his seat at the remaining desk, which was more organized chaos than anything else.

None of them were talking, all focused on their computers and putting their things away. Tony decided he may as well introduce himself, since he wasn't picking up on much from his observing. He exited the office and three pairs of eyes immediately locked on him. "Good morning." He started with, leaning back against the wall of his office with his arms crossed casually across his chest. "My name is Anthony DiNozzo, and I'm your new team lead."

The three stared at him silently, waiting. "I know you guys have been working together for a while now, but that you haven't had a lead in a few weeks. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better, and working with you from here on out, and I'm sure you're looking forward to getting back out in the field." The blonde smiled slightly, but the other two remained stoic.

"I'm sorry to tell you that won't be today. We're booked for the shooting range, the sparing gym and one of the obstacle courses, and we're also going to the track. We may do a couple other things, depending on how the day goes. But first, introductions. Let's start with you." He said nodding to the blonde who had been first to arrive.

"Uh." The man said, darting a quick look over to the larger Samoan. "Shouldn't you know who we are already?"

"Why would you assume that?" Tony questioned, head tilting as he watched them trade another look.

"Because you're our supervisor? Didn't they give you our files, or something?"

"They did indeed." Tony agreed easily.

"Shouldn't you have read them then?" The blonde continued, starting to sound a little annoyed, though his tone remained controlled.

"Yep. And I will- tonight." He shifted his right hand up, elbow propped over his still crossed left arm, and let his head rest slightly forward where his curled fist rested against his mouth. "Still like to know who you are though, unless you'd like me to call you 'one,' 'two,' and 'three' for today? Or maybe 'Athos,' 'Aramis' and 'Porthos?' How about- 'Moe,' "Curly,' and 'Larry?' No, I guess those don't really work. 'Harry,' 'Ron,' and 'Hermione?' Feel free to stop me when you hear one you like."

The blonde's expression was getting more and more incredulous the longer he spoke and Tony had to stamp down on the amusement he felt bubbling up. He and the Samoan's eyes met again, and it was the third time in about two minutes. That might be interesting. "My name is Jesse Graham." He finally said, cutting off Tony's continuing spiel.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Jesse Graham. And what is your role on this team?"

"Excuse me?" Graham asked, brows furrowing.

"What's your role here? What do you bring to the team? What got you your spot here?"

"Well, I served as an Operations Specialist for twelve years."

"Oh?" Tony asked, intrigued. "Did you ever serve aboard the USS Seahawk?"

"I did, as a matter of fact, but only briefly."

"What year?"

"2005."

"I did a stint as agent afloat back in '08. Was Richard captain when you were there too?"

"He was, actually."

"He's a good man, a good captain." Tony remarked. "And how long have you been with NCIS?"

"Three years, give or take."

Tony nodded before turning his attention to the woman. "And you are?"

"Natalie Johnson, sir." The woman responded after only the slightest pause.

"Don't call me sir, I'm not in the Navy. It's DiNozzo or Boss."

"Yes, sir. Uh, Boss?"

Tony chose not to remark a second time and asked her the same question he'd asked Graham. "And what is your role on this team?"

"I'm a Naval Aviator Pilot. I'm also fluent in Arabic, Russian and Persian, and I'm passable in Hebrew, Hindi and Romanian." She sounded more confident than she had in addressing him.

"And how long have you been with NCIS?

"Just over a year."

Tony nodded and turned to the last man. "And you?" He asked simply.

"Makaio Palowunu. I served as a Special Warfare Combatant, and I've been with NCIS for eight years. Senior Field Agent for the last four." His voice was as gruff and deep as Tony had imagined it would be.

"Fantastic, it sounds like you have a great variety of skills between the three of you. Today will be to gage fitness levels, how the team preforms together and individually, and any potential strengths or weaknesses. Any questions?"

The three continued to silently watch him, and no one spoke up. "Great. So, I have no idea where the shooting range is. I'll follow you." He said, pushing of the wall and moving to the door. The three stood and followed, Palowunu took the leading, followed by the other two and then Tony.

The small arms firing range, it turned out, was only a couple of hallways away. He'd had Worth book it for two hours when they'd been discussing his arrival over the phone. When he arrived, he was happy to see four rows of guns laid out neatly on a table at the back of the huge room. All four automatically moved to grab the ear protection hanging neatly beside the door. "We'll start with handguns." He said, moving to one end and gesturing at Johnson to pick up the first weapon, a Beretta 9mm. She moved to comply. "Now, I'd like to see you strip it, reassemble, load, and empty the clip, if you'd be so kind." He requested, pulling his own earmuffs up to cover his ears and gesturing to the others to do the same.

She moved to stand before the smaller, empty table, and began to do as directed. Her movements were slow, but steady and she worked through it. It made sense that she'd be familiar with this particular gun, as it was the one typically carried by Aviator Pilots. When she moved to fire, her stance was confident and her aim passable. She didn't hit center, but she wasn't too far off.

When the clip was empty, she turned back around to face him. "Nice work." Tony said simply, voice pitched louder to be heard. "Graham? The same, please."

He did about the same, if a little faster. Two of his shots hit center, and the others were more tightly grouped than Johnson's had been, which seemed to please him as well. "Thank you. And you, Palowunu?"

The Samoan's brow raised the slightest bit, and Tony thought he might have been surprised that the haole could pronounce his name. Though Tony was nowhere near able to actually speak Hawaiian, he had picked up on several phrases and terms over the years, and had become somewhat used to the phonemics of the unique language.

Though he did not appear to rush, he went much faster than the first two, completing the progression in less time than it had even taken the other two to strip their own weapons. Only one of his shots was slightly off center- and then only just. The other's formed a small, neat little circle in the middle of the bullseye. When he was finished, he set down his weapon as silently as he'd picked it up and crossed his burley arms across his chest. Tony nodded to him and then moved to pick up the fourth.

They seemed surprised when he began moving through the same motions, but did not speak up to ask the questions clearly on their minds. He ignored it at first, moving through the motions that were as familiar to him as pulling on gloves. One thing that came from having a Gunnery Sergeant as a boss was his total comfort in handling all types of weapons- Gibbs had absolutely insisted on it, and he wasn't afraid to go to extreme methods to get the results he wanted. His mind flashed briefly to that old NCIS baseball cap punctured with a bullet hole and Kate's broken PDA.

His reassembly wasn't quite as quick as Palowunu's had been, but his grouping was perfect. When he finished and turned to meet the eyes of his team, pushing his own earmuffs down to rest on the back of his neck. He decided to speak up rather than waiting for them to ask what they were all obviously wondering. "Today is not just about me assessing you. We are going to be working as a team, and it's just as important that you know my strengths and weaknesses as it is for you to know each other's and for me to know yours. In addition, I will never ask you to do something that I am not willing to do myself. Johnson, next weapon please." He directed, pulling his earmuffs back up and moving to cross his arms and observe.

The remaining weapons went in about the same manner. Johnson was clearly the weakest out of all of them, being much less familiar with the other weapons, and fumbling more than once during the process. Graham didn't fumble, but he did move slowly- more so on some weapons than others. Palowunu remained the fastest uniformly over all the weapons but stayed nearly even with Tony for accuracy.

Once they were finished in the shooting range they moved onto the sparing room/gym room. It was much like the one back in DC, with lockers crammed against one wall, a boxing ring to one side, floor mats along another, and then a variety of weights and exercise tools spread around. Unlike the shooting range, this room was open to the base, and there were several people spread randomly around the room, doing their own thing.

"Alright, we're going to do some close quarter sparing. Same order, Johnson, you and me." Tony said, moving to take a stance and tugging at his standard issue NCIS workout gear to get comfortable. She approached him cautiously and took a stance similar to his. He attacked her slowly, giving her plenty of time to react. He moved through a series of common moves, carefully watching her reactions and responses. "That's enough." He ordered after a few minutes, blocking her strike and stepping back out of range.

"Graham?" The man in question moved in easily and eyed his new boss closely. After the slow controlled moves from the first fight, Tony was a little surprised when Graham attacked him suddenly and furiously. Tony blocked his first swing and the swipe of his leg before he was back in a position to counter. The fight lasted much longer, and Tony eventually found himself overpowered and pinned. "Alright." Tony said, and Graham immediately let go of him and hopped up. He held a hand out and took accepted it with a broad smile. "That was fantastic!" He exclaimed. "You'll have to show me that last move again."

Graham nodded in acceptance and stepped back off the matt. "Palowunu?" The huge man stepped forward and took his stance. "How tall are you, anyway?" Tony questioned lightly, feeling a little intimidated despite himself.

"6'7" The Samoan grunted and began attacking. Tony countered him easily, but quickly became frustrated. His new SFA used his sheer size and brute strength as his strategy. It wasn't graceful or pretty, but it was damn effective. He had five inches on Tony, and almost a foot more arm span. At first, it didn't seem to matter how Tony tried to attack, because the man could literally just reach out and push him away or block his efforts. Eventually though, Tony was able to duck under an overhead swing and pop forward to wrap his left hand around the back of the taller mans neck, and his right hand grabbing the top of his left bicep. From there, he was able to duck quickly under Palowunu's left arm, while his own left arm remained holding the back of his neck. As a result, the taller man was forced to bow over, and Tony was able to step around him and get close to his back. He shifted his grip and then used his right knee and a jerk of his left hand to trip him and force him to the ground. He used his own weight to force the larger man to fall how he wanted him to, and was able to pin him on his stomach.

He let go and then plopped himself over onto his back. "Okay. Good job, everybody." He said from his position on the floor. "That was good." He repeated again. "You're like a robot, you know that?" He shot at Palowunu when he finally pushed himself back to his feet. The Samoan smirked at him and casually straightened his shorts.

"Okay." Tony said, stretching and popping up onto his toes. "I'll leave the next one up to you. Track first or obstacle course?" The three traded looks. Running the course first would mean they had more energy, but it also meant they'd get muddy, and running while covered in drying dirt was not high up on anyone's list.

"Track first." Graham finally stated, speaking up for all of them. The other two nodded silently in agreement.

"Track it is." Tony agreed. "Uh, where is that, again?"

The rest of the day passed in about the same way, and by the time they were done, everyone was sore and tired. They all sent out general noises of goodbye and departed, though Tony only went as far as his office. He propped himself back in his chair, bringing his right leg up to prop on his desk and hold himself in position. He started reading, and was only a couple of pages in when he was interrupted by a quiet knock on his open doorframe. He looked up, surprised, to see the very man whose file he held.

"Hey." He said, dropping his leg down and sitting up. "Sorry, though you'd all left. What's up?"

His new SFA shrugged his massive shoulders and moved to sit in the chair across from his desk. "So you are reading them." He commented, dark brown eyes focused on the small pile.

"Course I am." Tony studied him. "Really though, what's up?" I doubt you came here to watch me read."

"You're a curious man." Palowunu said simply, settling more comfortably into his seat.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, I've never had a commanding officer who didn't know who I was before they assumed my command."

"It bothers you that I didn't read your file before meeting you."

"It shows a lack of regard for those in your command."

"I disagree."

"So explain it to me then." He demanded, voice deep.

Tony tilted his head and looked at him for a long minute before he responded. "Alright. Well, I like to think I'm a pretty good judge of character. The problem is, files and be misleading, they can be taken out of context or missing important information. Reading your files first would have given me an impression of who you guys are before I met you. Instead, I choose to meet you and make my own impression before I read about you."

"Trust me, I plan to learn everything I can about the three of you. I fully understand that your lives are in my hands, and I will never purposefully do anything that would that would increase the chance of one of you getting injured or not coming home. And, if you ever disagree with one of my orders, I fully expect you to bring it to my attention. You've obviously been with these guys a lot longer than I have, and I will respect your opinions as much as I hope you will come to respect mine with time."

The man studied him for another long second before smiling the slightest bit. "Nolaila, loihi no laila, pono." [So far, so good.] The man said, jerking his chin at him before pushing himself up out of the chair. "Aloha ahiahi." [Good night.]

The first phrase he didn't recognize, but the second he did. "Good night." He replied automatically, watching the man disappear. Once he was alone again, he turned his eyes back to the file and settled back in to read.

His phone buzzed on his desk sometime later. He ignored it for a minute, finishing the page he was on before he grabbed it. It was a picture from Steve- two beers sitting on the chairs of his lanai. Tony smiled when he saw it and texted out a reply. 'That looks amazing. Unfortunately, I'm going to be here for a while still. Drink mine for me, and I'll see you tomorrow- promise. xo'

The reply came almost immediately. ':( okay. Don't work too hard. -S' He smiled again and tossed the phone back on the desk. He started reading again when the tickle in his chest he'd been ignoring all day came back with a vengeance. He rubbed at his sternum and took a sip of the cold coffee sitting on his desk. It went away after a minute, and he went back to reading without thought.

When he arrived home later that night, he poured himself a glass of scotch and moved out onto the back deck. He leaned against the rail and sipped at the liquid, watching the waves hit the shore in the distance. The tickle came back even worse than before, and he found himself coughing before he realized it was coming. It was harsh and loud, a buildup of all the coughs he'd forced down throughout the day.

His throat hurt a little when it was over, and he clenched his eyes shut and forced his breaths to come slow and steady. He'd never, never, forget the feel of drowning, of not being able to catch his breath, of knowing, absolutely, that his own lungs were going to suffocate him. Sometimes, we he coughed particularly hard, the feeling crept back up to his peripheral. Once he had himself back under control, he downed the rest of the liquid in one long drink, and then turned to go back inside.

He headed to the master bath to take a long hot shower and then curled up on the couch in front of the tv. He turned on a movie half-heartedly, feeling exhausted, and then grabbing his phone once he was comfortable. He dialed absently and then pulled the phone up to rest against his ear.

"Hey." Steve's voice greeted him lowly. Tony could hear the sound of the waves, and though Steve might still be sitting outside. "How was your first day."

"Good, I think. Ran 'em through their paces, seemed to go okay."

"Sounds like you ran yourself too."

"Yeah, I'm exhausted." Tony said, laughing quietly.

"So how are they?"

"They're good- great even. First team I've seen made completely of formally enlisted personal. There's some room for improvement, but they're pretty solid already. It'll be good to see them work an actual case, see how they mesh."

"That's awesome. Makes me feel better knowing you've got good people watching your six."

"Yeah, for sure. But how was your day?" Tony questioned, voice growing softer still.

"Quiet, for the most part. We ended up driving out to Wahiawa to check out some suspicious holes that appeared in the Botanical Gardens. Turned out to be black market sale of rare and endangered flora. You know they actually use those plants for makeup and skin creams? Tony? Babe?" The sound of Steve chuckling came over the speaker, but Tony did not hear it. In fact, it wasn't until Steve disconnected the call and called him back that the sound of his ringing phone woke him up.

He startled awake and sat up, phone falling onto his lap from its resting place. He picked it up and answered it, rubbing a hand down his face. "Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to fall asleep." He said, voice scratchy, after hitting accept.

"Nah, it's fine. Why don't you go to bed? Sounds like you need a good night's sleep."

"Yeah, think I'll do that. Goodnight, sweet dreams." Tony murmured, pushing himself up and absently turning the tv off.

"Moeʻuhane hemolele." Steve returned. "A i ka la apopo."

 _~*~ To Be Continued… ~*~_


	6. Chapter 6

The remainder of the week passed by nicely. They ended up receiving a case involving a series of thefts from nearby base housing. It was a great first case for the team to work together, and Tony couldn't have hand picked a better one. It allowed them to interview multiple witnesses and victims, visit five different crime scenes and then track the perpetrator down to a chop shop on the other side of the island.

The man had been doing it for a while, but he'd gotten lazy and started to hit houses close to each other, instead of his previous routine of hitting one house per neighborhood. It allowed them to connect the break-ins as being done by one person, rather than random occurrences. They had the guy in jail by Wednesday afternoon and had the rest of the day to fill out and submit their paperwork.

Tony was, once again, pleasantly surprised at how well done their reports were, and at how quickly they submitted them. He figured it was a left-over habit from the service, and he definitely wasn't going to complain about it. They'd been perfect during the case as well, following his orders without question, while at the same time contributing idea's to help solve the case.

Thursday they caught another little case, but had it tied up by seven that night. Friday morning was spent doing Thursdays paperwork, and then Friday afternoon Graham and Palowunu heading to the sparing room, while Johnson and Tony headed back to the shooting range. They didn't have it blocked, so there were others using the facilities, but there was still plenty of room for them to fit in some additional practice. Tony requested the weapons she'd had the hardest time with, and then slowly started to walk her through the breakdown and mechanisms of each of them.

They remained in the shooting range until four, and then headed back. The other two were already back in the office, and Tony dismissed them all an hour early. As soon as they were gone, he found himself bowed over with the force of his coughing. He'd been ignoring it, hoping it would clear up on its own, but he was quickly realizing he would have to make an appointment with the new doctor.

He'd been limiting his time around Steve since it started, not wanting the other man to know that he was ill. He'd gotten lucky, staying at work late Monday, and then having the case to focus on Tuesday. He used the case paperwork as an excuse to stay away until later than night, and then brushed off the idea of sleeping over, knowing it was likely he'd wake up coughing sometime during the night. Steve had looked a little put off, but accepted it willingly enough. Thursday was the second case, which brought him back to now.

When he'd texted Steve at lunch time, Five-O did not have an active case going, and he asked if Tony wanted to come over for a cookout with the ohana that night. It being the weekend, he couldn't think of a reason to refuse, and had agreed to head over when he got off.

That said, he didn't want to let his partner know he'd finished early, as it would be more time he'd have to control the itchy, prickly feeling that left him feeling constantly on the verge of losing his control. Realizing how off the train of his thoughts was running, he sighed in aggravation and pulled out the business card Brad had given him all those weeks ago.

"Straub Pulmonology, this is Amber speaking, how may I help you today?" A pleasant voice greeted him.

"Hi Amber, my name is Anthony DiNozzo, and my physician referred me to Dr. Pauahi. I'm new to the island, and was wanting to make an appointment?" He tapped his pen against the desk as he spoke.

"Can you verify your date of birth for me, please?" She asked.

"July eight, nineteen seventy-one." He rattled off.

"Thank you. Oh, yes. It looks like we have been trying to contact you, as a matter of fact."

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that. Been busy with the move." He said, making a face. "But I'm having some issues now, and am hoping to get in to see him."

"Sure, I can definitely help you with that. It looks like he has had a cancellation on Tuesday at 2:30. Would that work for you?"

"Yes, I will make that work."

"Great! Dr. Pitt has already sent over your file. You'll just need to bring your photo ID and insurance card for us to get you registered."

"I'll do that."

"Perfect. Is there anything else I can help you with today?" She asked brightly.

"No, that's it. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Have a great weekend!"

"You too." He replied politely before hanging up.

He put off going to Steve's until six, and so he was the last to arrive. Someone had started music playing on the lanai, and the sounds of talk and laughter could be heard drifting from around the house when he pulled up.

Tony let himself into the house, but moved towards the kitchen rather than straight out to join the others. He opened a cupboard and pulled down the bottle of scotch that had migrated there at some point or other, and poured himself a small glass of the amber liquid. He drank it, rinsed the glass, and put everything back away. Then he grabbed a cold beer from the fridge, took a swig to remove the taste of the liquor, and headed out back.

"Hey!" Steve said when he saw him, hopping to his feet and moving across the sand to greet him. "I feel like I haven't seen you all week!" He said as he drew him into an embrace, pressing a kiss against the corner of his mouth at the same time.

"Sorry." Tony replied with a smile. "Guess the vacation really is over." He joked as they started to move back towards the others, Steve's arm wrapped around his waist. The mans' team greeted him with friendly bolster, and Tony felt himself start to relax for real at the inviting atmosphere.

"So?" Kono piped up once Tony was seated. "How's your new team?" She questioned, comfortably curled up in her seat with a beer in one hand.

"Uh, they're good. Really good, actually. We had two little cases this week, and they work together really well." He praised.

"Not as good as us though, right?" She teased with a smirk.

"Sorry Kono," Tony laughed, "Not touching that one. How would it look if I started comparing my new team with other teams after just a week?"

"Hey, no one said they have to know." She argued playfully.

"Right." Tony replied sarcastically. "All the same, I don't want to give you any ammo for when you inevitably meet them. I have a feeling that'd come back to bite me."

Kono laughed loudly. "Fair enough." She said. She took a drink of her beer and Tony copied her, though it was more to wash down the growing tickle than out of thirst.

It was only a few minutes later that Steve's phone rang. The rest of his team all let out quiet noises of protest when they heard him address the caller as 'governor.'

"We have a case." He said when he hung up, walking back over from where he'd moved to take the call. "Missing person. We have to go." He ducked down over Tony and pressed a quick kiss to mouth. "Sorry." He said quietly when he pulled away. Tony shrugged in response, shooting him a half smile. He was a little disappointment that the man had to leave when he really hadn't seen him much, but if he were honest, it was more of a relief than anything.

"Rachel and Step-Stan went to Maui for the weekend. They left a few hours ago." Danny spoke up as the others started heading for the house. His eyes then locked on Tony's still seated frame.

"Ohh no." Tony caught on and spoke up before Danny could continue. "I can see where this is going, and it's not a good idea. Kids don't like me." He defended, hands raised like he could physically ward off the idea. "Trust me, bad idea."

"It's Gracie, she likes everybody." He argued easily. "Monkey, can you come here for a second?" He asked, raising his voice to he heard where she played closer to the water. "Danno has to go to work Monkey, do you think your Uncle Tony could watch you for tonight until your Mom is back on the island?"

'Uncle Tony?' the man in question mouthed silently. Her little shoulders shrugged and she looked unbothered. "Will you help me build a sandcastle?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"Uhhh." Tony stumbled. "Sure?"

"Okay!" She said brightly. "Bye Danno!" She turned to give her father a hug.

"Bye Monkey. Be good for Uncle Tony and remember- Danno loves you."

"I love you too, Danno." She replied sweetly. "Catch the bad guys! Bye Uncle Steve!"

A second later, Tony found himself alone with the little girl and felt a flash of alarm. He'd never been around children. Even the friends and acquaintances who had children never had them around Tony, and he had no idea how to interact with her. Even his attempts of interacting with children during cases historically ended badly. "Can you help me with my sand castle now?" She asked, drawing him from his panicked thoughts.

"Yes." He said, pushing himself up. "Sure. I can do sandcastles."

She led him over to where she'd been playing, but aside from some disturbed sand it didn't look like she had done anything. "I'm not very good at making them." She said, voice kind of sad. "They always dissolve."

"Humm." He said, putting his hands on his hips and looking around. "You know, if you build your castle here, it'll get knocked down when the tide comes in in the morning anyway."

"So where should we build it?" She asked, peering up at him with intelligent eyes.

He moved back up the beach and she followed him, trowel held in hand. "This would be a good spot." Tony announced when they came up to firmer sand.

"But now we're really far from the water." Grace pointed out.

"That's okay, I have an idea. Hold on, I'll be right back." He turned and headed back inside, but paused on the threshold. "Uhh, don't go in the water." He directed at her, wondering if he should leave her by the beach alone, or if she was old enough that it was okay.

"I know the rules, Uncle Tony." She said, sounding put upon in a way that only a child could.

"Rules, right, good." He mumbled to himself, heading to the garage to grab the empty five gallon bucket and two of the metal paint spreaders he knew were in there, then to the kitchen to grab to two small plastic pitchers and a handful of toothpicks.

When he arrived back outside, he saw that Grace had taken the time to smooth a circle of sand to start building on. "Alright," He said, setting down the pitchers, spreaders and toothpicks. He carried the five gallon bucket back down the beach to the wetter sand and used it to scoop up a big chunk of the sand. "So here's our starting sand." He said, tipping the bucket and dropping the mound of sand right in the middle of her circle. "Do you want to start pressing that into the shape you want?"

She dived in immediately, scooping and shifting the sand until it roughly resembled a large square. "Do you want it to be bigger? Do we need more sand?"

"Yes, please!" He repeated the process and then came back one more time with the bucket full of sea water.

"Alright," He said, settling onto his knee's in the sand. "So the trick to building a great sand castle is to start with a big, dense block-"

"What does dense mean?"

"Uhm, it means heavy or thick." He grabbed a handful of the sand from their pile, and a handful of looser sand from the ground to show her. "See how the sand looks different? This sand is more dense than this sand."

"Okay." She said, watching him closely.

"Right, so we take the dense sand, and make a big square out of it. If you need to add water, you can use the pitchers to scoop water from the bucket. Then, we use these nifty things," He held up the paint spreader to shower her. "To shape and sculpt the sand how we want it. Got it?"

"Got it!"

They stayed in the sand for another two hours, building her perfect sandcastle. When she was satisfied, a large structure rose from the ground, complete with turrets, toothpick and leaf flags, and a huge moat. It was coming up on nine when they went back inside, and then Tony found himself at a loss again.

"So," He asked, standing with his hands tucked into his pocket. "What do you want to do now?"

"I'm hungry."

"Okay, what do you want to eat?"

"Pizza!"

"Pizza we can do. It's too late to make it though, so we'll have to order it."

"You know how to make pizza?" She asked, sounding amazing.

"Sure, it's not hard. I'll let you in on a little secret." She leaned towards him as his voice lowered to a whisper. "The pizza on this island isn't very good."

"Danno says the same thing!"

"That's because your Dad knows what a real New York Style pizza tastes like. Maybe next time I make it, you can help me."

"Okay! Can we do it tomorrow?"

"Ahh, we'll have to see about that. You'll probably be with you mom or dad tomorrow."

He placed the order for the pizza while they headed to the living room.. "What do you want to watch?" Tony asked her once they were both comfortable. They'd both already changed clothes, having rinsed off with Steve's hose before coming back inside the house.

"Can we watch something with animals?"

"Something with animals? I'm sure we can. Anything in particular?"

"No, you can pick."

"You probably don't know this, but I love movies." Tony confided in her. "Do you like movies?"

"Yeah, but Mommy doesn't let we watch them too much."

"Your moms from England, isn't she?" Grace nodded. "Have you ever seen 'The Secret Garden?'"

"I don't think so."

"Let's watch that then. I think you'll like it."

The pizza arrived part way through, but Grace was so enthralled in the film she didn't even look away when he went to the door. He set a plate with the pizza on it beside her and she looked away briefly to shoot him a smile and a sweet 'thank you.' Her attention turned immediately back to the tv, and she sat and watched it quietly while she ate. Tony was watching the movie too, but he'd seen it before and it didn't keep his attention like it did the little girl.

He fell asleep, head resting against the side of the chair, and didn't wake again for almost an hour. When he did, it was to his body convulsing with a cough. When the episode finished, he sat up and realized he'd been covered up with a blanket. Grace was sleeping on the couch, covered with a blanket of her own, and 'A Secret Garden' playing over again on the screen.

He smiled slightly and ran his hands roughly over his face. He stood and headed into the kitchen, clearing his throat quietly as he went. Another glass of scotch was out of the question, now that Grace was with him, so he settled for brewing a cup of hot herbal tea and honey to try and sooth away the soreness.

Back leaning against the counter, he picked up his phone to text Steve. "How's the case going?" He sent.

It took a couple of minutes for him to get a response. 'Not well. Looks like it's gonna be a long one. Rachel's flying back to Oahu and will be there in the morning to get Gracie. Thanks for watching her.'

'Not a problem. She's a great kid.'

'She is. Gotta go, I'll call you later.'

'Later.'

Tony washed and put away his cup, and then headed upstairs to bed.

Tony startled awake several hours later. He sat up, unsure what had woken him, but body tense and on edge. He listened intently for several seconds, but couldn't hear anything but the gentle crash of waves outside. He glanced over at the clock and saw 8:04 glowing on the screen.

It was later than he normally slept, and it was then that he remembered Grace was downstairs. He pushed himself out of bed, realizing that one of the reasons he felt odd was because he was wore a pair of Steves sweat pants to bed, when he normally slept nude or in his briefs.

He pulled on a t-shirt and headed downstairs. Grace was curled up in the chair, reading a book quietly. She looked up when she heard him and smiled. "Good morning!" She exclaimed.

"Good morning, Grace." He replied. "Did you sleep well?" She nodded at him happily. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded again. "Can we have pancakes?"

"Let's see if Uncle Steve has the stuff." He said, heading to the kitchen. Grace hopped up and followed behind him. Tony started pulling out ingredients and a bowl. "Do you like blueberries in your pancakes?" She nodded again with a wide smile. "Me too." He said, grabbing the container of fresh berries he knew Steve normally kept in the fridge.

Grace climbed up to sit on the counter and watch him work. "I talked to Uncle Steve last night. Your mom is coming to get you this morning." He told her.

"Aw." She said, pouting slightly. "I wanted you to teach me how to make pizza!"

"I'll tell you what, I'll talk to your dad and we'll make a plan for me to teach you another time."

"Okay." She agreed, though she still looked disappointed. Tony felt a little glow at knowing that she wasn't in a hurry to leave his company.

"I really liked that movie! It's my new favorite." She sat chattering away as he cooked and plated their breakfast, and continued chattering between bites.

Rachel knocked on the door just after ten.

"You must be Anthony." She said when he opened the door, accented voice dainty.

"Just Tony." He replied with a smile. "And you must be Rachel."

"Yes. Daniel told me he left Grace with you. I do apologize if it caused you any inconvenience." Her voice was strained. "I should really learn by now that just because it is his night with her doesn't mean I'm actually free to leave the island." She sounded slightly bitter with the last part, and Tony felt his smile stiffen.

"It's not a problem at all. I'm in law enforcement as well, so I completely understand."

"Of course." She smiled tightly again before raising her voice slightly to carry. "Grace, Darling, it's time to go."

"Just a second!" Came her voice from the other room. She came running a second later with her tucking her arms through her back-pack straps. She started to head straight to her mom by paused and turned back to Tony. She darted forward and wrapped her arms around his legs for a "Bye Uncle Tony!" She said, releasing him and moving back to the door. "Don't forget to talk to Danno!"

"I won't." He promised, smiling down at her and then nodding politely to Rachel.

He could hear the little girl chattering all the way down the walkway.

Late Sunday afternoon, Tony got a call for a case of his own. He texted Steve to let him know, but wasn't expecting a response back immediately. He hadn't been home when he got the call, so when he arrived at the NCIS office, it was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, a black short sleeve button up and his sunglasses.

He headed directly to the director's office for a briefing and then met his team down in the bull pen to debrief them. "Good afternoon everyone, sorry to interrupt your Sunday. Approximately an hour and a half ago, Corporal Brian Chambers was abducted from the alley behind Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill. One of the bartender's, Trent Smith, opened the emergency exit door at approximately 2:47 this afternoon, with the intention of smoking a cigarette."

"When he opened the door, he witnessed the Corporal in a physical altercation with an unknown male, approximately 6' with a stocky build and light brown hair. According to Smith, both men seemed pretty evenly matched. He said Corporal Chambers had the suspect pinned to the wall when the man pulled a syringe from his pocked and stabbed Chambers in the neck. Chambers collapsed, at which point Smith left the doorway to go and call 911. The alley was empty when he got back, but he did see what looked like a white or light-colored SUV speed away."

"Corporal Chambers was in civvies, which is why we did not get the call until now. HPD was able to ID Chambers with facial recognition and called us when they got a match. That's all we know so far. Graham, I want to know everything there is to know about Corporal Chambers, and why he would be the victim of a kidnapping."

"Johnson, I want you to go over surveillance. The bar doesn't have camera's facing that door, but there may be other camera's in the area that caught something. Palowunu, we're going to the crime scene to see if HPD missed anything."

Twenty-four hours later, they'd hit dead end after dead end. Their missing marine had an exemplary record, including being a bronze star recipient. He was single, his parents were both deceased and, aside from the other members of his squadron, no one seemed to know who he was. His CO said he was quiet, focused and ready for anything.

None of the surrounding buildings had surveillance that faced the alley, and no light-colored SUV's passed by any surveillance in the surrounding area at the time of the abduction. If the bartender hadn't happened to walk outside at the moment he did, it was likely no one would know the Corporal was even missing until he failed to report in, and even then would not have been declared UA until 24 hours had passed from his initial failure to appear. Tony straightened at the though. He sat forward and started typing into his computer, gaining the attention of his team.

"If there hadn't been a witness to Corporal Chambers' abduction, he would have been declared UA twenty-four hours after his failure to appear." Tony repeated his train of thought out loud. "Because he does not have a family or anyone to report him missing, he would simply have been declared a deserter after thirty days and it would have been the end of it."

"But Corporal Chambers lived for the Marine Corp. It was literally his whole life. Beyond that, the number of deserters have been dropping since 2007, and deserters from an Oahu base are extremely rare. Ah!" He exclaimed, finding the information he was looking for. "But there have been thirteen soldiers declared UA or AWOL between Pearl Harbor, Schofield and Hickman since January. Eight of them have been within the last three weeks."

"That's not possible." Graham spoke up in disbelief. "We would have heard about it."

"No, because they haven't been marked as a deserter yet. The older five were spread over the three branches, so it wasn't unusual enough to draw attention." Tony studied his computer intently. "We need to go over all thirteen soldiers, see if they're any connections or movement from them since their status change."

After investigating the missing soldiers, it was discovered that only one of the thirteen had any activity since being declared a deserter, and he was living back on the mainland and working as a dishwasher at a diner.

The other twelve seemed to have vanished. Their bank accounts were untouched, their homes had been left filled with their belongings, and none of the twelve had a significant other or children who would have reported them missing.

It was nearing nine o'clock Monday night when they received confirmation of that, and Tony immediately took the information to the director. He was onscreen with SecNav within the hour.

"I'm telling you, Sir," Tony implored the older man. "We have every reason to believe that all thirteen soldiers were abducted, not just Corporal Chambers. They've been ghosts since they disappeared, their bank accounts are untouched, their houses either still have their belongings, or were abandoned and had to be cleaned out before they could be relisted. We've had no leads, the SUV we think was used in Corporal Chambers abduction managed to evade all video surveillance, not to mention his abductor being able to subdue him in the first place. This was a professional job, and until we know what the purpose of this is, we have no idea how many more soldiers might go missing."

Jarvis studied him over the screen. "This is a very serious accusation, DiNozzo. Do you under the ramifications if I take this further up the chain and it turns out to be nothing?"

"Sir, all due respect, but I wouldn't have brought it to you if I wasn't already 100% sure."

"Okay. Let me know when you have more information."

"Yes, Sir."

He felt a little lost when they had disconnected. There were no new leads, no hints, not even a damned bread crumb. The thirteen missing soldiers did not know each other, they had no one thing in common in their day to day lives, no families they could go to for clues. It seemed hopeless.

His head tilted and he turned the though over in his head again. They needed to see if there were any soldiers who had been reported missing. If that were the case, they wouldn't have been listed as UA or AWOL, and so wouldn't have made their list. And for that matter, they should look for retired and discharged personal. They could potentially be looking at a small part of their victim pool.

He headed back to the bullpen with a new purpose giving energy to his tired and achy body. His cough hadn't waned, but rather had increased in frequency. Though he'd managed to keep most of it to himself, his team had become aware that he was less than well. Still, they hadn't directly mentioned it, and Tony was good at acting better than he felt and pushing through the discomfort.

When the latest theory didn't turn up anything, he gave in and sent the team home to get a decent night's sleep. He didn't know if it was the case, the constant ache that had set into his lungs, or the raw throbbing of his throat, but he tossed and turned all night, only getting maybe two or three hours of rest.

He rose at six, dressing in silence and then fixed himself a large cup of hot tea to take with him on the drive. He was back in his chair by six-thirty, trying to find something to give them a direction to go in. The rest of his team had joined him by seven-thirty, and he was being called to speak with the director just after eight.

He was informed that the mission persons case Five-O had been working the past several days might have a connection to their own case. Commander McGarrett was requesting the investigating team join them at the Palace so that the two teams could swap information and hopefully gain some insight from each other.

Tony wanted to groan in frustration, even as he felt hopeful for the new potential lead. He knew he'd likely work with Five-O at some point in the future, but didn't think it would be so soon. Any other time he'd be ecstatic at the chance, but he was just so _tired_. Steve would notice for sure, and the others likely would as well, having spent a substantial amount of time around him by this point. He wanted, no he needed, to focus all his energy on solving the case, not worrying about his own insecurities and limitations.

Still, he agreed. He'd had no choice but to agree, nor would he truly have wanted to. He'd never allow his own drama to interfere with a case and knew he'd just have to deal with it. They'd left immediately, all of the information loaded on a flash drive to load on Five-O's network. They arrived at the Palace at nine, and were soon trading introductions in their tech room.

As expected, Steve had zeroed in on him immediately, and he was getting sideways glances from the others as well. So he'd avoided eye contact as well as he could, jumping in and starting to rattle off his SITREP as soon as the niceties were finished.

When he finished speaking, Steve spoke up for Five-O. "A couple of months ago, a man named Thomas Hoapili was found shot to death in the trunk of a car. It turned out that Hoapili was a part of a group of twenty-five that practiced an ancient Hawaiian art that consists mostly of hand-to-hand combat, called Kapu Kuialua, or Lua. He was taken captive and forced it fight in an underground flight club."

"The fight night that we broke up had two fights planned. The second one was with an MMA fighter and Hoapili, and we were able to track the movement of $200,000,000 for the two fights. The man who set up the fight for former MMA fighter Ramsey Pollack."

"During our investigation, Hoapili's daughter Maggie was taken and forced to fight against Cat Carrigan, another former MMA fighter who was kicked out of the professional circuit for her conduct. We were able to take down the ring, and everyone directly involved was arrested. That said, Pollack had ties with other Fight Clubs in Columbia, Russia and Thailand that we know of, so we're already aware that there's more of these guys out there."

"Friday night, a man named Jason Alanike was abducted from his home in Aiea. We met Jason when we were at the Lua compound. He's a Lua master, but the only people who know that are the other fighters and us. The only family Jason has is his grandfather, Kaka, who introduced him to the art."

"Kaka lives on the compound, and is off-grid, for all intents and purposes. We heard about your case, about you having thirteen missing soldiers, and their lack of familial ties, we knew there might be a connection. No one off that compound would know about Kaka or his relation to Jason. To an outsider, Jason would look unattached."

"We have reason to believe the missing soldiers, along with Jason, were taken by the larger fraction that runs the Fight Club's. All of the missing soldiers except for two have gone missing since we took down the ring. The former two went missing almost exactly a month apart. We think the surge was in response to us shutting down the ring here, and we think their either getting ready for something big, or they're getting ready to leave the island."

"You think they're abducting American Soldiers and forcing them to participate in a Fight Club?" Tony asked, faint disbelief audible in his voice.

Steve nodded seriously, brows furrowed. "We do."

'That's crazy.' Was on the tip of his tongue, but he thought about it. It made a twisted kind of sense. The soldiers who had gone missing were healthy, strong young men. They were hardly the first choice of target for most, and were all capable of putting up quite the fight. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made until it was the _only_ thing that made sense. The boys being capable of putting up a fight was the product, not a detriment. It's why they were taken. "Alright." He finally said instead. "So what's the next step?

 _~*~ TBC ~*~_


	7. Chapter 7

With all of the new information, the two teams were able to break into groups and look into a few new leads. Despite the hopeful start, they weren't going anywhere fast. It was coming up on two o'clock. Tony knew he'd have to leave soon if he was going to make it to his appointment, but he was having a hard time disconnected from the case. It felt selfish to the missing men to walk away for something personal, and he finally ducked out to call the hospital.

"Yes, hi, this is Anthony DiNozzo and I have an appointment with Dr. Pauahi at 2:30. My team is wrapped up in an active investigation, and I was wondering what Dr. Pauahi's next opening would be if I needed to reschedule?"

"Yes, I can look at that for you. One moment please." There was a long pause. "It looks like Dr. Pauahi's next new patient appointment is May 17th at 10:30."

Tony winced. It was May 3rd currently, so that would be another two weeks before he was seen. He rubbed his chest, turning it over in his head. "Okay, I think I'll keep my appointment for today, that's a little too far away. Thank you."

He hung up and headed back to the tech room to check in. Before he could go to Palowunu, Steve zeroed in and made a beeline towards him. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked, staring at him intently.

"Uhh." Tony froze, eyes darting to his SFA and then to the clock on the wall. "Sure."

Steve frowned at him and turned towards his office, Tony following reluctantly behind. When they were inside, Steve turned and sat against the front edge of his desk, arms crossed and scowly expression firm on his face. "Is something the matter?" He finally asked.

"What do you mean?" Tony responded, feeling a little trapped.

"What do I mean?" Steve repeated, frowning harder. "I mean you're acting weird. You've been avoiding me all week- Aye, don't try to deny it." He said when it looked like Tony was going to speak up. His mouth clicked shut and really, it was true. "You've been avoiding me all week, and you've been avoiding me since you got here this morning. You're in and out of here so much I can't keep track of you, and you look like you haven't slept in days. What's going on with you?"

Tony's eyes dropped to stare at a point on Steves shoulder. "Steve, now's really not the time for this." He tried.

"I think it is, because I don't know where your heads at right now."

"My heads on the case!" He exclaimed. "Where yours should be."

"Is it?"

"Yes." Tony said, glairing and crossing his arms.

Steve watched him silently for another long moment. "Okay." He said finally. "We've got a lead. A new witness thinks she saw our SUV and our suspect. You can come with me to interview her."

Tony cringed slightly. The timing really couldn't have been worse. "Uh." He stumbled, words sticking in his throat.

"What?" Steve asked, demanding edge coloring the word.

"I have somewhere I need to be." He forced out as calmly as he could. "But I should be back in less than an hour."

"Are you serious?" His voice had lowered, disbelief as clear on his face as it was in his tone.

Tony didn't respond verbally, but it was clear in his stance that he was.

Steve shook his head and pushed himself off the desk. "Head's on the case, huh?" he said when he passed by Tony on his way to the door. Tony waited in the office for a second after the other man left, bowing his head and pinching the bridge of his nose against his headache. He only allowed himself that brief pause before forcing his spine to straighten and chin to raise as he rejoined the others.

He walked into the clinic at 2:25, and was taken back almost immediately. The MA was friendly enough, chattering away as she took his vitals and asked him some routine questions. "The receptionist let the doctor know that you're on a tight schedule. He should be right in."

"Oh, great, thank you." He said, shooting her a friendly smile.

True to his word, a middle-aged Hawaiian man entered the room wearing a while coat just a few minutes later. "Mr. DiNozzo, good afternoon, I'm Dr. Pauahi."

"Nice to meet you." Tony replied automatically.

The doctor was brusque, moving through the physical exam with smooth efficiency. "Well." He said once he'd finished. "You have a low-grade fever, your blood oxygen level is resting at about 89%, you are tachycardic, and I can hear significant crackling in all four quadrants of your lungs. I would like to run some blood work, as well as get a new chest x-ray."

"How long will that take?" Tony asked, unfamiliar with the new facility.

"We can get the x-ray now. The blood work will take a few hours to run. Have you done anything out of the ordinary lately? Have you been in contact with someone ill, been under an unusual amount of stress, travelled?"

"Yeah, actually. My partner and I flew over to Hawaii Island last weekend. We hiked Volcano National park on Saturday, and we went diving on Sunday."

The man was frowning at him. "And when did you fly back?"

"Late Sunday night."

"Well first of all, you should never to fly the same day you dive. That alone can cause a number of problems."

"We'd been on land for twenty-four hours before we dove, and we stayed at about 600 feet on the flight back to lessen the risk."

"Well that's all well and good, but it's still dangerous." Tony nodded, choosing to accept the mild scolding and move on. "Beyond that, someone with your level of scaring should not be diving at all. Any change in pressure could cause your lungs to become inflamed. Nor should you be visiting volcanic sites, as the fumes released into the air could do the same." He frowned and shook his head at Tony. "Dr. Pitt noted that you had a good grasp of your condition and were careful to maintain your health." He sounded doubtful and Tony felt a flash of offence.

"I do, and I am." He defended.

The man hummed, but didn't comment. "Judging from your symptoms, it's likely you have a case of chemical pneumonia. Have you noticed any blood in your sputum?" Tony shook his head. "Green or yellow?"

He shook his head again and spoke up. "The coughing has been mostly dry and harsh. It doesn't feel wet, and coughing doesn't lessen the feeling of needing to cough. It's pretty constant."

"Is there any pain associated with it?"

"My whole chest is aching, but it's sharper when I cough. My throat also hurts, but I think that's just from the coughing itself."

"That's very possible. Okay, I'll be right back with the x-ray." The MA returned right after he left to do the blood draw, and then he was waiting.

His phone rang. "DiNozzo." He answered.

"Hey. The we got an ID from the lead we just talked to. We're heading to his residence now." Danny's voice came, and he wasn't sure if he should be happy or not that it wasn't Steve that called.

"Alright." Tony said, standing. "Text me the address, I'll meet you there." The door chose that moment to open, and the clutter of the large portable x-ray machine entering the room filled the space.

"What was that?" Danny asked.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it. Look, I got to go. Text me that address." He hung up before Danny could continue. "Look, Doc, I'm sorry, but we got a lead and I have to go meet my team. Can you just write me a prescription for a steroid inhaler and some anti-inflammatories? I've dealt with this before- well, I mean, the chemical part is new, but not the pneumonia. I know all the warning signs."

The older man frowned sternly at him. "I don't think you understand severity of your condition, Mr. DiNozzo." He started, but Tony cut him off.

"It's Agent DiNozzo, actually, and I do fully understand. But if I listened to every medical professional I've dealt with since this all happened, I would have taken a desk job and cut out all of my extracurricular activities by now. I know my limitations, and I know my body. I just need the medication."

"Taking a desk job would be highly recommended, and from what you've told me of your extracurricular activities, I'd advise you stop those as well." He blustered. "You are at a hugely increased risk of developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which can be fatal. Not to mention Pulmonary hypertension and all of the other issues that can occur when you have as severely compromised lungs as you do."

"I am aware of that." Tony gritted out. "I've been living with it for years, believe it or not. "And I've never been heathier."

"Yes, I can see that." The man said drolly.

"Doctor, I really have to leave." Tony said firmly. "Will you write me the prescriptions I need or not?"

The older man straightened, looking offended. "Yes, I will write you the prescriptions." He finally said, "But I'm also writing you a letter excusing you from work for the next week, at which point I want to see you back for reevaluation."

"I can't take a week off a work."

"If you care about your health, you will. And depending on how your lungs sound next week, it could be extended."

Tony dropped his eyes to glare down at a corner of the room. He was so sick of hearing the same things over again. It was all he heard immediately following the plague, they told him he'd probably never distance run again, that he'd be unable to perform any extended aerobic activity and that it was possible he'd require oxygen on at least a semi-permanent level. They said he wouldn't return to field work, that he'd never be able to pass the fitness test required for him to be an active agent.

Early retirement with full benefits had been offered, as his illness had been the direct result of his work. When he turned that down, they offered him a desk teaching at the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Charleston Training Academy, otherwise known as the NCIS FLETC. He'd turned that down too.

And he'd pushed, and fought, and forced his body into compliance. He ran, and he trained, and he built his endurance up until he beat his previous fitness records, and then he pushed himself farther still. He was determined to keep his position on the team, to the point of returning to the field before he was truly ready for the strain.

But he'd done it. He'd passed all their tests, and he beat all the odds, and he came back better than ever. And yet still, damn near a decade later, his diagnosis was the only thing some people saw. It was why he'd kept Brad as his permanent primary care physician, despite the man not normally taking on that roll and only treating patients for a short amount of time.

He knew what he was capable of, knew that he could out pace damn near anyone, because he'd scraped himself back together and made it possible. And another doctor throwing a tantrum about the "risks" he takes with his health, well, he'd dealt with it plenty before. So he forced a smile, accepted the three sheets of paper when they were handed to him and exited the room calmly.

Once he'd returned to the lobby, he crumpled the letter excusing him from duty into a ball and tossed it into the garbage on his way by. He ignored the bottle blonde at the desk calling after him and asking if he needed another appointment, and jogged down to his car. He plugged the address Danny had texted him into his GPS and set off.

It took him fifteen minutes to arrive, and the other's arrived just after. "What have we got?" Tony asked curtly, moving to stand with his team. Palowunu pulled up a picture on his phone and showed him. "Jessica Richards worked down the street from the bar the Corporal was abducted from. She was on duty, and saw a white SUV speed away from the mouth of the alley around the time the bartender was on the phone with 911. She didn't see the driver, but she did see a passenger matching the same partial description the bartender gave."

"Why didn't she come forward before?" Tony asked.

"She has an active warrant and did not want to interact with law enforcement. We had both witnesses work with a sketch artist, and both sketches were matched with our new suspect. His name is Mark Taylor, and he's wanted in eight countries for charges ranging from human trafficking to the black-market ivory trade. He was captured by CCTV on the island three days ago, and we were able to track him down to this area. Going by process of elimination, we think he's using this vacation rental as his base of operations while he's on the island."

"If everyone is up to date?" Steve spoke up, coming closer with a closed off expression on his face. Tony ignored the small slight as best he could, turning his attention back to his SFA.

"Anything else I need to know?" Tony asked Palowunu.

"Not immediately. Just be prepared, we're expecting him to be armed and dangerous."

"Alright." Tony acknowledged, pulling his side arm free and nodding to Steve that he was ready to proceed.

In a weird parody, Steve pared up Tony with Danny, himself with Palowunu, Chin with Johnson and Kono with Graham. They split up to approach the building from all sides and were about fifty yards or so away when Tony noticed their suspect from the corner of his eye. Taylor was across the street and it looked like he'd been heading to the house when he noticed their approach. When he saw that Tony spotted him, he immediately turned and fled the opposite direction.

"Taylor has been spotted and he's on the move going Northwest. In pursuit." Tony reported into his com as he gave chase, Danny right behind him.

"Copy." Steve's voice came in his ear, but Tony ignored it, focusing on drawing practiced breaths and forcing his feet to move faster and faster. The suspect was fast, and Danny was quickly falling behind.

"Mark Taylor, NCIS- FREEZE!" He commanded, he demanded more out of habit than an actual hope the suspect would comply. As expected, Taylor continued to flee, darting in and out of traffic, and swerving down side streets and alley ways in his efforts to lose his pursuer. The man was pulling further ahead of them, unafraid of pushing bystanders into their path or of doing damaging as he fled.

They finally came to a street that was relatively empty of pedestrians. A white SUV pealed to a stop at the end of the block and the back passenger door opened. Taylor was thirty yards from reaching it when Tony slowed to a light jog, the words 'fuck this' just audible under his breath, as the weapon held loosely in his hand came up.

"Hey!" Danny's voice blared loudly in his earwig and from behind him both. "We need him alive!"

Tony ignored the irate tone as he fell into stance, steading his breath, relaxing his shoulders and taking careful aim at the moving target. He pulled back on the trigger and watched in satisfaction as the man fell, letting out a shout of pain and trying to clutch at his right buttock.

Danny caught up to him then, slowing to a stop just the slightest bit out of breath. "Nice shot." The blonde man said sarcastically. "But it's good, this is good, because if you hadn't missed you would have killed our only lead!" He continued, ending in a shout.

Tony looked directly at him, face stony and derisive and at the end of his patience for the day. "What about that makes you think that I missed?" He challenged before he turned away. The car had sped away when Taylor fell, but he hoped one of the other agents joining them from various points had managed to get a license plate at least. He strode calmly to the blubbering man lying on the ground, noticing from his peripheral vision the rest of the teams joining them on the street, almost immediately followed by HPD and an ambulance.

"You know," He started conversationally as he came to stand over the flailing body. "When a federal agent tells you to freeze- it's not a request." He said, leaning down to casually slap cuffs around his wrists. He pulled him roughly to his feet, causing Taylor to let out a pitiful moan and try to shift his weight to his good leg. "Oh, quite whining, it's just a little bullet hole. We haven't even gotten started yet." He forced him to take a couple of steps towards the arriving EMTs. When they reached the pair with a stretcher, Tony let him fall roughly onto it. "I'll see you soon." He promised. He stood and watched as the man was loaded and a HPD officer entered behind to escort them to the hospital.

His team came to stand around him to report. "We were able to get a partial license plate number, and a good description of the car, Boss." Johnson said, looking down at her notepad. "White Lincoln Navigator with custom rims, first three letters of the license plate are HGX, and there were three men inside. The driver looked Hawaiian, but the two passengers were white."

"Good job. Run it, I want to know who these guys were _yesterday_." He ordered and turned to head back to where they'd left the cars. They needed to get back to the office, HPD and Five-O could deal with interviewing the other witnesses and dealing with the press. Although… "Palowunu, I need you to stay here until this disperses. _Nothing_ gets leaked to the press, understand? Nothing."

"You got it, Boss." The man agreed and turned to head over to talk to the HPD commander. Though Tony was trying to ignore them, his eyes brushed over Five-O as he turned around. Danny was still glaring at him, arms crossed tightly across his solid chest. Kono had her hands on her hips and was watching the scene with sharp eyes. Chin was watching him, his own face blank, and damn it if Steve didn't look _amused_.

Tony turned away from the sight, scanned the crowd for any suspicious looking bystanders. He had to do a double take when he saw a familiar face standing behind a group of civilians, observing the scene with the cool detachment he was known for in their previous encounters. The other man's eyes met his, and a small smirk curled his mouth as he started making his way slowly and casually over to where Tony was standing to the side.

His presence stood out from the civilians around them, and the Five-O team, as well as his, were immediately on alert at the approach. While Five-O immediately had weapons trained on him, his own team took their cues from Tony and kept their own guns holstered.

The newcomer did not look intimidated at the weapons aimed at him, nor did he give them more than the briefest, amused, glance as he came to a stop directly in front of Tony. His hands were tucked loosely into the pockets of his black jacket and it was clear he did not feel threatened.

"Malachi." Tony said after a moment.

"Tony." The man replied in the same tone, lowering his head slightly in acknowledgement. "I had heard you were on the island now. I wondered if I might run into you at some point." He continued in his softly accented voice.

"And so you did." Tony commented in return. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing you need to concern yourself with." He responded blithely.

Tony smiled sharply. "If the Mossad is operating on Oahu, I definitely need to concern myself." He saw Five-O closing ranks around the two of them, his own team still standing at his back, but giving him the illusion of privacy if nothing else.

"I assure you, we are not here to cause the US any problems."

"We?"

The man smiled again. "We will not be here long." He said in lieu of answering the question. "Please, tell your attack dogs that their behavior is unnecessary." He requested, acknowledging the presence of the others for the first time with a tilt of his head.

"I'm not sure it is unnecessary. You still haven't told me what you're doing here, or how many of your operatives are here with you. Tell me, are you here legally this time, or did you guys just sneak in again? Cause it kind of sounds like you snuck in."

His amused look was back and he shook his head lightly at Tony. "Perhaps we can meet later and share some Gefilte fish. Unless you truly were just being anti-sematic all those years ago? I might even be so inclined as to share with you the nature of our visit over a meal between friends."

"I honestly wouldn't even know where to get something like that here. I'm new to the island, if you'll remember." He deflected, hiding his grimace.

The other man looked away and scanned the crowd himself. "There is a place called 'Oahu Kosher' that sells a Gefilte Fish _Loaf_." He said, pronouncing the words like they were odd to him. "I have heard they are very good. Meet me there, tonight at six, and we will discuss business. For now, I must go." He said, turning to leave. "Oh," he said, pausing once. "And as fun as this all is, please do come alone."

Tony made no move to stop his departure, and Steve and Danny both stepped back to allow him to pass, though neither fully lowered their guns. Tony's eyes remained fixed on his back until he disappeared around the end of the block, and even then continued to stare at the spot he disappeared, mind racing with the possibilities.

He finally pulled his eyes away and scanned the crowds once more. "Let's get going. We have work to do." He said finally.

 _~*~ TBC ~*~_


	8. Aina Aliʻi (Foreign Officer)

Tony made a quick stop to a pharmacy near the Palace to drop off the prescriptions and then met the other back at headquarters. Everyone was scrambling, Kono and Graham trying to follow the SUV on CCTV footage, Chin trying to match the plates based on the information they already had, Steve and Danny were standing together by the computer table, discussing god knows what, Johnson was looking deeper into Taylors records and Palowunu was still at the scene of the arrest dealing with the media crews that refused to leave without a story.

Tony himself had just gotten off a video call with SecNav to update him on their progress. He'd held off on mentioning the Mossad, wanting more concrete information as to why they were on American Soil before deciding how to proceed. He was pinching the bridge of his nose again, hoping against hope it'd relieve some of the pressure building in his head.

Steve and Danny's conversation seemed to get more heated, though still quiet, causing Chin to look over at the pair more than once. They finally seemed to reach a conclusion and turned to head in his direction, Chin following them with his eyes and an uncertain expression on his face.

"So are you going ta meet this guy or what?" Danny asked, blunt as always with his hands tucked deep into his pockets. Steve crossed his own arms and kept silent, clearly taking on an observant roll over an active one in the conversation.

Tony glanced down at his watch and nodded tiredly. His residual anger from earlier had faded with time, and fatigue had settled back into his bones. He felt a little foolish at how dramatic he'd been that afternoon and a part of him wished he could just reset the day and start over.

He already had a pretty good idea of why the other man was there- Mossad agents were some of the absolute best fighters in the world. If this Fight Club ring was really as powerful as it was shaping up to be, it would stand to reason that the slavers would want one to play with. Still, it'd be years since he last saw the other man, and he'd need to be on his toes, despite their tentative friendship.

"You ready to get wired up, then?" The short man asked, crossing his burly arms.

"Excuse me?" Tony asked, still kind of distracted and not entirely sure if he'd heard him right.

Danny glanced over at Steve and then back at Tony. "I said, are you ready to get wired up?"

"I'm not wearing a wire." Tony stated calmly, leaning back further in his borrowed chair to look at the standing men more directly.

"Yes, you are." Steve said, speaking up for the first time. "And we're gonna have you under surveillance. We've already got an officer stationed inside the restaurant as a customer, and we're going to have another one be in the kitchen."

"No you're not, and you're going to recall the one inside."

Steve looked at him in disbelief, while Danny seemed to puff up in size. "What the hell's the matter with you?!" He demanded. "Of course you're going to be under surveillance. Are you crazy?"

Tony shook his head, annoyance that had sparked so easily to life just hours before fizzled out. "Do you have any idea who this guy is?" He asked calmly, tiredly.

They traded another look. "Why don't you fill us in." Steve said.

"His name is Malachi Ben-Gidon, and he's the team leader of the Kidon Unit of the Mossad. He was Ziva's superior officer, once upon a time." He said, directing the last directly to Steve, who'd had the displeasure of meeting the woman once before.

"Look, he's dangerous and he's proud. Despite our history, it wouldn't be too hard to offend him. He's intelligent, and he's observant; he'll probably notice the wire, and he'll definitely notice the UCs. If he thinks I'm trying to trick or trap him somehow, or if he questions my motivations at all, he'll disappear. We won't be able to find him again if he doesn't want to be found. Trust me, he's not someone you want running around as a loose cannon."

"Okay, we need to talk. In private." Steve demanded quietly, turning and striding angrily into his office. Danny did not follow and Tony tried to ignore the looks he could see being shot their way through the mostly open blinds. The situation felt early reminiscent of the one earlier in the day.

"So let me get this straight." Steve began as soon as the door had closed behind them. "You're going to sit there and tell me how dangerous this guy is, in order to explain why would should be going in without any surveillance or backup. How exactly does that make sense to you?!" He demanded, arms crossed and muscles flexing in his agitation.

"Would you lower your voice?" Tony said, slightly louder than he'd been before. Steve reared back as if struck, face going calm and stony and body going tense in an instant. Tony hesitated for a second, but pushed forward. "Look, I know Malachi, I've worked with him a few times before. He's an arrogant asshole, but he's not a bad guy. I think I know why he's here, and I think I can get him to work with us."

"Why?"

"Think about it, Steve. We know these people have ties all over the world. Do you really think American Soldiers are the only one's they'd be interested in?"

"No, I guess not." Steve said, frowning slightly in thought. "You think he's here because a Mossad agent was taken?"

"I'd put money on it." Tony replied surely. "Think about." Tony said again. "You said he had ties internationally, and the Mossad have ties to all three of the countries you named. If they are getting ready for a big show down, or to leave the island, where will they go? Where'd they come from? They can't have been here the whole time, the soldiers have only been going missing for the last few months. I think it jumps from country to country, place to place. They probably have established locations they rotate through, because they'd need a secure place for their fighters to be held constantly. It wouldn't be hard to imagine a Mossad agent being taken along the way."

"Okay, so say that's true. Knowing his agenda is similar to ours doesn't automatically mean we should work with the guy. It doesn't make him any less dangerous."

"Doesn't it?" Tony shook his head. "He's not going to do anything to me. Especially in a public venue. You're being paranoid. Me going in alone is the best plan."

"That's not going to happen. I've dealt with the Mossad before too, and there's no way in hell I'm letting you walk into that situation with one of them on your own."

"Steve, I've been alone with him plenty of times before. Like I said, we've worked together a few different times. This is my contact, I should have say in how he's handled." Tony argued stubbornly.

"Your director turned the case over to Five-O, we've got primary lead. If you think he has some connection with this case, then that makes this my decision." Tony stiffened and drew back slightly. Steve shook his head and scrubbed a hand harshly over his face.

"It might not even have anything to do with the case. I could be wrong."

They both knew that was unlikely, and the look Steve shot Tony clearly told him how he felt about the attempted turnabout. He sighed heavily through his nose and sat down on the edge of his desk. "Look at this from my perspective: We're working a case that likely involves at minimum fourteen missing Americans. These people have global ties and more money than a small nation. This guy just happens to show up, out of the blue, at the exact time we make contact with our first suspect. Now he wants you to meet him, alone, across the city. It's my job to ensure everyone under my command operates safely, especially with how much about his we _still don't know_. Right now, that includes you."

Tony frowned at him, wanting to argue on principle but knowing the other man was right. If the same situation was occurring to one of their team members, Tony would be suspicious as well. He realized then that he might be being argumentative more due to how awful he felt than for a justifiable reason.

Steve saw the hesitation and pounced on it. "Wear a wire, Tony, please." More emotion leaked into the request than he'd been showing for the remainder of their conversation, and Tony's chest throbbed seemingly as a result.

Tony sagged slightly in place, running a tired hand through his hair. When he didn't respond immediately, Steve continued. "Look, I don't know what's up with you, or why you're pushing me away. If I did something, I'm sorry," he proclaimed. "Truly, but you can't ask me to stand by and watch you walk into a dangerous situation, with no communication and no backup."

"What? No, Steve you didn't do anything." Tony sighed heavily through his nose, pinching its bridge once again. "This is, it's," he sighed again as Steve continued to watch him stoically. "Okay. We need to have a conversation, but right now, I need to focus on the case. I promise, once it's over, we can talk."

It didn't seem to reassure Steve, and if anything he seemed to close off further. He drew himself up, shoulders tense and jaw clenched. Tony realized how it might have come across and grimaced again. He started to speak up again, to fix his wording, but Steve did before he could.

"Fine. After the case. But I still want you to wear a wire." He stated neutrally, and Tony found he couldn't read his expression.

"It's that important to you?" At Steve's nod, he signed again, quieter. "Fine, I'll wear a wire. But I still don't think it's a good idea."

"Thank you." Steve said, ignoring the last part. He turned to leave his office, but Tony stopped him with a discrete hand on his arm. He couldn't let the conversation end like that, or he'd be on edge until they resolved it.

"How long's it been since you went home?" Tony questioned softly, taking in the tired lines etched into Steve's own face, and the circles that were taking root under his eyes.

"I was home this morning." Steve replied blandly, still tense and frowning at the shorter man.

"To sleep or to shower?" Steve shot him a sharp look and kept his silence and Tony dropped the line of questioning, feel a sick pit churn in his stomach. It felt like things were spinning out of control, and he didn't know how to right it. Steve was like a blank wall and Tony knew it was his fault, but it didn't make the frosty reception feel any better.

He needed to tell Steve about his lungs, he acknowledged that, if only to himself. Steve obviously knew there was something Tony was keeping from him, and it was putting heavy strain on their relationship. Steve had just as many trust issues as Tony, so of course he'd react strongly to his significant other suddenly keeping a secret.

But it had to wait, he couldn't allow anything to get in the way of solving the case as soon as physically possible. And at that moment, after days of dead end after dead end, he felt hopeful at the way things were finally moving. He was certain talking to Malachi would gain them new insight and he knew he needed to head out soon.

"Okay." Tony said softy, turning his body so that it was blocking most of Steve's own from view. He reached out and ran a hand lightly down Steves side in a move familiar to them both. The other man softened, just the tiniest amount. "How about this," he began, voice quiet and almost wheedling. Steve frowned at him slightly, but not as darkly as he had been before. "I'm gonna go talk to Malachi. I will wear a wire, and you can keep one UC in the kitchen, but not in the dining room. We'll see what he has to say, and then I'll stop for Loco Moco on my way back, and we can all take a break while we eat. And we'll agree that if he don't have any new leads by nine tonight, we'll send everyone home to sleep, and start fresh in the morning."

Steve looked at him contemplatively. "Alright." He agreed after a pause. "But you have to come back to mine tonight." He bargained.

"Okay." He agreed, only pausing slightly. "I'll come back to yours." He wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but if things came out at least they'd be in the open and they could deal with it. Steve smiled at him, just for a second, but it was an honest smile and Tony felt an optimistic feeling surge through him. They'd be okay, they just needed to break the case and move on.

With their new agreement in place, they rejoined the rest of the agents out in the main part of the room. "Kono, we're ready for that wire." Steve said, speaking up.

"Sure thing." She replied readily, moving across the room towards them. "I need you to unbutton your shirt." She told Tony, shooting him a playful look. The light moment drew a real, if short, grin from him and he shook his head even as he moved to comply.

He took his suit jacket and tie off completely, wanting to look less obviously like a fed for the next couple of hours. It left him in a pair of black pants and a deep purple shirt. He unbuttoned the shirt, allowing her to tape the contraption into place. "Hey, watch the hair." He told, pouting as she taped right over it.

"Oh, don't be a baby." She rebuked, continuing unheeded. When she was finished, he rebuttoned the shirt, sans the top two buttons, and then rolled his sleeves up for a more casual look.

"How do I look?" He directed at her.

"Smokin." She replied with a grin

"Alright, let's get this show on the road." He said, patting himself down to make sure he had his cell and wallet.

"We'll be monitoring you the whole time." Chin said, speaking up for the first time in a while. "If things go south, we'll pull you out."

"Guys, despite what you seem to think, this isn't an op, okay? Everything is going to be fine and I'll be back in a couple of hours. Oh! Speaking of, when did the hospital say we'd be able to talk to our suspect?"

"He's in surgery to remove the bullet now, Boss." Johnson spoke up. "They're not gonna let us talk to him until morning." Tony nodded, frowning slightly.

"Alright. See you in a bit." He made eye contact with Steve once more before turning to leave the building. He was half way down the stairs when the other man caught up to him. He started walking beside him silently, but Tony could feel him shooting sideways looks at him.

When they reached his car, Tony turned to face him directly. "What's up?"

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling. Be careful, okay?"

Tony frowned, searching his face. He felt a pit in his stomach for the first time and shook his head to try and shake it off.

"Steve, really, everything's going to be fine."

"Yeah, probably. Just, be careful."

"I will." Tony promised and took a step closer. His hand came up to cup the back of Steve's head and he pulled the other man into a chaste kiss. "I'll see you soon."

Steve returned the kiss, and Tony could feel his disgruntlement with the situation in the tenseness of his frame. He pulled away and turned to get into his car. Steve stepped back out of the way of his door, and remained standing there until Tony disappeared from sight.

When he arrived at his destination, Malachi was already seated at a table in the restaurant, his back to a small corner, but leaving his two open pathways immediately from the table. Two cups sat full on the table, and his companion was calmly watching the other patrons in the room.

"I hope you do not mind, I have ordered for us already." He said when Tony approached. He gestured to the other chair. "Sit, please."

Tony did as directed, reaching forward for the waiting cup. "So." Tony said after a second of silence. "Want to tell me what brings you to our fair country this time?"

"You've not figured it out yet?" a dark brow arched.

"I have an idea, but I'd like confirmation."

The other man looked down and took a slow sip. "The men who observe us. You trust them?" He asked Tony.

Tony's mouth curled into a crooked smile. He knew the other man would know, but at least he didn't seem upset about it. "I do." He responded, not trying to deny their presence.

"But you do not trust me?"

"Should I? You still haven't answered my question."

They both quieted as a waiter brought over their food and did not speak again until he walked away.

"You did not follow my request to come alone." Malachi stated when they were alone again.

"Yeah, sorry about that. My team didn't really like your vibe." He said glibly. Malachi smiled slightly in amusement.

"Well, I suppose I can not blame them for that."

Tony smiled back and then and then sobered. "Why are you here?" He asked a final time.

"This case you are working, your soldiers are being taken, yes?" Malachi responded.

"Yes." Tony acknowledged, not bothering to beat around the bush.

"One of my agents were taken." He said, dabbing his mouth lightly with a napkin. "I have tracked them here. But you already suspected as much, did you not?"

"I did." Tony replied and then looked down at his plate. "This is delicious, by the way. What is it?"

"It is a mushroom and potato knish."

"Huh. Anyway. Yes, I did suspect that. What are you planning to do about it?"

"Is it not obvious?" Malachi frowned at him. "I will retrieve him."

"How are you going to do that. Do you know where he's being held?"

"I do."

"Where?" Tony asked, leaning forward. "Are they all being held in the same place?"

"They are."

"Where?" Tony asked again.

"I will tell you their location once my agent has been released."

"How about you tell me now."

"So you can prevent me from completing my mission? I don't think so."

"We can come up with a plan together. You breaking out your agent might tip them off. We can't risk that happening before we make our move."

"That is not my concern."

"Then why even let me know you're here? I know I wouldn't have seen you if you didn't want me to. What was the point?"

"I wanted to know how you like your new home." He stated carelessly. "I can see why you moved here. This is a beautiful place."

"More beautiful than Israel?"

"Bah! How would you even remember, it's been so long since you were there. You never did make it to Jerusalem."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Malachi shrugged elegantly. "It is your loss, my friend."

"How's Liat? You guys still 'not anything serious?'"

Malachi smiled slightly. "We are still sleeping together, if that is what you mean."

"Nothing more than that? Really? After all these years?"

"I am her superior officer. It would be inappropriate to be in a relationship with a subordinate."

"But it's okay to sleep with one?"

He shrugged. "So long as there remains no emotional connection."

"If you say so." Tony said, shooting him an strange look. He took another bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully. Once he swallowed he opened with, "Work with us."

Malachi shook his head immediately. "It would not be working with you. It would be working under NCIS jurisdiction. The last time I agreed to do so, one of my men were killed. Why should I do so again?"

Tony's eyes dropped to the table. "You know I'm sorry about Hadar. We never meant for that to happen."

"It is not intent that matters though, is it?"

"No, I guess not." Tony frowned slightly, deep in though. "What if you weren't under NCIS jurisdiction?"

"How do you mean?" He looked the tiniest bit intrigued.

"This is already a joint case between my team and the Five-O task force. Five-O technically has lead, so you wouldn't be working under NCIS, you'd be working under a Task Force. Completely different rulebook."

Malachi tilted his head, studying him. "NCIS or Five-O, we are on American soil and we would be under American jurisdiction. I do not think your government would be accepting of my team operating here without permission."

"Let me worry about that."

"You are asking me to put the life on my agent in the hands of strangers."

"And you're asking me to put the lives of fourteen Americans on the promise that you're not going to fuck up your extraction. Come on, Mal. Even you have to admit that sometimes, things just go wrong. You can't prepare for every eventuality. I know what kind of man you are, and I know you wouldn't take that big of a risk while knowing there is a more promising option available."

"I do not work with people I do not trust, and I do not trust those whom I do not know."

"You didn't know me the first time you worked with me."

"No, but I knew of you." Amusement flashed over his features once again.

"I'm not asking you to trust them. I'm asking you to trust me."

"I will tell you what. I will hear what you have to say and then decide if I am willing to work jointly with you.

Tony smiled at him charmingly. "I'm sure we can come up with a plan we're all happy with." His smile faded. "Do you have any other orders pertaining to this op, or anything else to do with you being on American soil that we should be aware of ahead of time?"

"Not so long as we succeed."

"And if we don't?"

Malachi met his eyes squarely and took a long moment before he spoke. "If extraction is impossible than my mission becomes one of elimination."

Tony didn't flinch. He'd been expecting something along those lines when he'd probed. He knew how brutal and merciless the Mossad could be, knew they wouldn't allow an agent to remain in a position of which they, or their knowledge of the Mossad and its operations, could be exploited. And he knew how seriously the other man took his orders and his position as the leader of the Kidon. It didn't matter whether or not he liked the orders he'd been given, he would see them through regardless. So Tony didn't try to argue, or try and convince him that was too extreme a measure. Instead, he shook his head slightly enough that it was more of a jerk than a true shake, and stated "It's not going to come to that."

"I hope not." Malachi replied somberly.

The two men finished their meal, more or less in silence, though they did exchange some small talk in between bites. It might have felt awkward or stifling to some, but Tony had always felt a sense of kinship with the darker man, from the first time they met in Israel. Though Malachi was more stoic and less openly expressive in his expressions, he and Tony shared a very similar sense of humor and demeanor. They'd formed something of a bond that first time they worked together, and, as tentative as it was, it had survived working together again despite the loss of Hadar.

He was banking on that kinship to keep the Mossad team working with them. He knew if Malachi didn't like what they had to say, he would disappear and resume operating on his own. He also knew that with as huge as this slave fighting ring was shaping up to be, they'd stand a better chance of succeeding if they worked together. They'd agreed to meet first thing in the morning to discuss their strategy and parted ways.

Once Tony was back in his car, he pulled out his phone and dialed Steve. The other man answered immediately. "See, nothing to worry about." Tony told him after they exchanged greetings.

"Yeah, alright." Steve acknowledged. "You on your way back, then?"

"Yeah, just gonna stop and get food for everyone and I'll be there."

"Alright, see you in a few."

"See you."

He hung up the phone and dialed the restaurant so they could start preparing his large order while he drove. He pulled into the parking lot of the pharmacy and ran inside to pick up his prescriptions. He had the small bag in his hand and was unlocking the door of his car when he noticed the reflection of a man in his car window coming towards him. He didn't pay it any attention at first, the man being a few spaces away still.

His phone rang again in his pocket. He let go of the keys to pull the phone free, cursing quietly as the corner of it got stuck on his pocket. At the same time, he used the hand holding the bag to reach forward and pull the keys free and opened the door. He tossed the bag down on the seat and finally got his phone out.

"Brad Pitt." Flashed on the screen and he frowned in confusion. His finger hovered over the 'accept' button as he debated on whether or not he wanted to take the call. Before he could decide, he noticed the man who had been approaching was now right behind him. He started to turn to see what he needed when he saw a blur of motion and felt a sharp pain split over the back of his head.

He fell forward against his car with an ' _umph_.' His vision immediately went dark and he tried to stay conscious, tried to fight through the blackness overtaking his vision, but then he felt a needle in his neck and lost the struggle.

~*~*~*~ Approximately one hour later, at Five-O headquarters ~*~*~*~

Steve glanced down at his phone for the third time in a minute.

"Man, he's probably just stuck in traffic or something. Would you quit worrying so much?" Danny's voice came from the door of his office. Steve glanced up at his partner, frown etched into his face.

"Something doesn't feel right, Danny." Steve said seriously. "He should have been here by now. And it's almost nine on a Tuesday night. How much traffic could there be?"

"So call him."

"I did, he didn't answer."

"So maybe he left his phone in the car while he ran in to get the food."

"Tony doesn't ever leave his phone."

"Maybe he forgot it."

"He doesn't forget." Steve argued stubbornly. "There's two thing Tony always has on him, his phone and a knife. It's something is old boss drilled into him, always be reachable. And while we're working a case? No. He wouldn't have left his phone, and even if he had, he would have called me back by now."

"So call him again."

"I will." Steve picked up the phone and hit speed dial once again. It rang and rang, and then went to voicemail. "He's still not answering. Something's wrong." He pushed himself up out of his chair and ducked past the man in the doorway. "Kono, I need you to trace Tony's phone."

"Uh," The woman looked up at him wide eyed. The other NCIS agents eyed him as well, various expressions on their faces. "Is something wrong?" She asked, frowning slightly.

"Tony should have been back at least thirty minutes ago, and he's not answering his phone."

"Well, maybe he's stuck in traffic and his phone died."

"No." Steve denied, growing more frustrated. "It's not going straight to voicemail, it's ringing first. Just run his phone, I'm not asking, Kono."

"Okay," She responded and began typing on the computer table, eyes looking up to meet both Danny's and Chin's. A map popped up on the screen mounted to the wall. "He's in a side parking lot at 'Long's Drugs?' On South King Street. That's only a mile from here boss."

"He's not moving." Steve said after a minute of watching the screen. "I'm driving over there."

"I'll come with you." Danny said, and Steve didn't argue. The made the drive in record time and were soon pulling into an empty spot next to Tony's car. Steve got out immediately and went over to the black mustang.

Tony wasn't in the car, but Steve approached the driver door and peered down into it. A generic white paper bag was tossed haphazardly down on the driver seat, Tony's phone and keys next to it. Steve reached out and gently tugged on the door handle. It opened easily at his touch and he exchanged a quick look with Danny.

He reached in and picked up the familiar phone. The screen flashed '4 missed calls,' and 'New Voicemail.' He'd only called Tony three times, so he went into the call log to see when the first missed call had occurred. He frowned down at the screen and then tilted it towards Danny to see. The last three calls had been Steve's. The forth one was interestingly from a 'Brad Pitt.'

"Tony knows Brad Pitt?" Danny questioned, voice odd and brow raised.

Steve's head tilted. "Not that I know of." The missed call had come in at 7:42, and the one before that had been the conversation he'd had with Steve while leaving the restaurant at 7:23. His eyes darted to the clock on the corner of the screen. It read 8:54.

Next, he reached for the pharmacy bag, feeling like he was invading the other mans privacy as he pulled out the receipt and scanned for the timestamp. Without really meaning to, the names ' _Formoterol_ ,' and ' _Azithromycin'_ caught his eye. Though he recognized the ' _mycin_ , as an antibiotic, he didn't know what either of them would be used for, and he didn't pull the boxes out to investigate further. The time stamp on the receipt read '7:39.'

Steve shook his head, straightening to meet Danny's eyes. "He picked this up at seven thirty-nine. That was an hour and fifteen minutes ago. Where the hell is he, Danny?"

 _~*~ TBC ~*~_

 **AN: I had this story posted originally on AO3. I wasn't going to post here, since I no longer really use this site, but I decided to anyway. That's the reason for the quick posting of the first chapters, and it will be updated as I write. I am hoping to post at least one chapter a week. Let me know what you think!**


	9. Ia: Ke Kuleana o Kekahi (Taken: Part 1)

Steve was on the phone almost immediately, requesting a crew to come out and sweep the car for evidence. Even as he spoke, he was searching the buildings for cameras that might have picked up on something. He told Chin to start pulling surveillance of the area, and that he and Danny would be back after they were done with Tony's car.

When he hung up, Danny was shaking his head. "We should go back now, and come back for the car later."

"We can't leave his car here, Danny, he loves this car. It's a miracle it wasn't already stolen, with the door unlocked and the keys on the seat."

"Maybe that was the intention." Danny replied. "Maybe whoever took him was hoping someone would steal the car for him and he wouldn't have to worry about it."

"You're probably right."

"Alright, you take my car and go back to the Palace. I know you're gonna go nuts if you can't do anything. I will wait here for them to finish, and then I'll bring the car back. How's that?"

Steve didn't have to think about it very long. His knuckles were already clenched, and he wanted to start doing _something_ to find his missing partner. He nodded slowly, eyes locked on the familiar cell laying careless in the same position on the seat it'd been in when they arrived. "The wire." He spoke aloud suddenly. "He's still wearing his wire." He pulled his own cell out again and dialed. "Kono, can you pull footage from the wire, from the time Tony left the meeting? He should still be wearing it."

"I can't pull footage, because we had it turned off once he left the restaurant. But I can turn it back on and see if it's still picking up anything."

"Great, do that. I'm on my way back now."

"You got it, boss." She replied, already typing away.

Steve hung up and looked back over at Danny. He hesitated. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"It's fine. Go." He said shooing him back over to his own car as he continued. "I've heard him talk about his car too. Trust me, I don't want anything to happen to it any more than you do. We'd never hear the end of it."

"Thanks, buddy." Steve said, getting in and shooting a strained, barely there, smile up at him.

"We're gonna get him back." Danny said in reply. Steve nodded silently as Danny shut the door for him. He started the car and pulled away with a screech of tires. He used the lights and made it back to the palace in about three minutes, and was entering the office inside of four.

"What have we got?" He asked broadly when he entered. Kono spoke up first.

"He's still wearing the wire, and we were about to turn it back on, but it's not giving us much."

Steve walked over to where she was standing and she turned the audio to speaker rather than the head set she'd been listening to. The sound of labored breathing could be heard, and the occasional scuff that sounded like it came from stone. Steve frowned, listening intently for a long minute. "Okay." He said finally. "If this is the same people who are kidnapping soldiers, it's likely they injected Tony with the same drug. He's probably still passed out, or he'd be trying to communicate with us somehow. I want someone monitoring this feed continuously, and I want to know the moment you hear something new."

"You got it." She acknowledged, switching it back to a private feed and hooking the headset over her ear.

"Chin, have you been able to pull any surveillance?"

"The pharmacy did have a camera covering that parking lot, I'm running through the footage now to see if it caught the event." Steve moved over to stand beside him and watch the fast-forward footage on the screen.

"There!" Steve said, seeing Tony's car turn into the lot. Chin slowed it down to real time, having spotted the same thing. The rest of the teams came to stand around them and watch as Tony got out of his car and hurried into the store."

"Do we have the footage from inside the store too?"

"Yeah, we do. Give me one second." He said, switching the footage and jumping to the time stamp that Tony had entered the store at. They watched as the man in question made his way briskly through the store and to the pick-up counter. He seemed to make small talk with the cashier as she rang him up, and then he turned and headed immediately back to the exit.

The footage was switched back to the camera outside and they watched as Tony arrived back at his car and started unlocking his door. At the same time, a large blond man appeared on the edge of the screen, moving slowly but directly towards Tony. The angle was that they could only see the back of the suspects head.

Steve found his arms crossing and jaw clenching as he watched. Tony paused in his unlocking and started fumbling in his pocket, switching to remove the keys with his left hand. They watched as he opened the door and dropped the bag inside, pulling his phone free and looking down at the screen. He didn't answer it and a couple of seconds passed, with the man getting closer and closer behind him.

Tony finally seemed to realize someone was approaching him, and started to turn around. Before he could, the man punched him directly on the back of his head. Tony fell forward, fingers scrabbling to find purchase against his car to stop his decent to the ground. It looked like he was trying to push himself back up when the suspect pulled a syringe from his pocket and jabbed Tony in the back of the neck.

A familiar white SUV pulled into the parking lot, and Steve watched helplessly as Tony lost the struggle with consciousness and fell heavily to the ground. The blond opened the back and hefted Tony's substantial form up into the back. The windows were tinted enough that his body was not visible through them. The blond ducked down to gather Tony's dropped phone and keys, tossed them onto the seat, closed the door, and then followed the limp body into the back of the car. Amazingly, he managed to do so without turning towards the camera once.

"He knows where the camera is." Tony's agent Graham said, watching intently. Steve nodded silently in agreement.

"The license plates been changed." Chin pointed out.

"If they know where the camera is, they'll know we've seen this one and change it again." Kono added.

They watched the SUV, now clearly identified as 2010 Chevrolet Suburban, turned onto the street and pulled away.

"See if there's any other cameras in the area that we can use to track where they went. It might be a long shot, but put a BOLO out for the car anyway. Just make note that the license might have been changed, and to investigate any cars matching the description." Steve commanded gruffly. He pulled out his phone and dialed. "Danny, we have footage of the abduction. Have the techs dust Tony's cell, keys and the strip of door along the window for prints. Then get back here and bring his phone. I want to know who this 'Brad Pitt' is that just happened to call at the right moment to distract him from his abductor."

"Got it." Danny agreed, and then hung up.

"He never saw it coming." Steve murmured, dropping his hand down from his ear. "Why was he at a pharmacy anyway? He said he was only making one stop and would be back. Why would he lie about that?"

Graham and Palowunu traded glances, and Steve narrowed in on them. "Uh, well." Graham began. "The boss has been sick for a few days. He hasn't actually said anything about it, but we've all heard him coughing at one time or other. It sounds pretty bad."

"When he left earlier, we think he finally went to the doctor, but we're not sure." Johnson spoke up. "He doesn't talk about himself much." She finished with a small shrug.

Steve shook his head with a frown, but didn't respond verbally. That still didn't make sense. If Tony needed to go to the doctor, why wouldn't he have just told him that? Why the secretiveness? He'd expect him to keep it from his team of course, they hadn't been working together long, and Tony was a guarded man at best. But him? Tony'd been deliberately secretive earlier in the day. He'd said 'I have somewhere I need to be,' without offering any explanation or justification despite knowing of Steve's growing ire with him at that moment.

Nothing was making sense and Steve found himself growing more and more agitated.

"Steve, something's happening." Kono spoke suddenly, changing her feed back to speaker.

The sound of a heavy steel door opening filled the room. A thud followed immediately by a hitch in the rough breathing and then strained coughing. "Vremya prosypat'sya." A gravelly voice spoke.

"Is that Russian?" Kono asked, trying to pull up translating software as quickly as she could.

"He said 'It's time to wake up.'" Johnson said.

"You speak Russian?" Steve asked the woman.

She nodded in affirmation. "Fluently, Sir."

Steve nodded at her to continue.

"Sorry man," Tony's strained voice came once he had the coughing under control. "I don't speak Russian."

"Eto ne imeyet znacheniya. Vy skoro poymete."

"It doesn't matter. You'll understand soon enough." Johnson translated.

The sound of scuffling and grunting could be heard. The voice growled again, "Luchshe vsego uspokoit'sya, mal'chik, ili ty ne perezhivesh' pervogo matcha."

"You'd best find your feet, boy, or you won't survive the first fight."

~*~ Tony's POV ~*~

Tony woke to a sharp pain starbursting in his chest. He gasped, the movement triggering his chest to convulse in a bit of breathless coughing. A gravely voice began speaking, though he didn't understand the words.

He worked through his focused breathing to try and bring himself under control and lose the panicked edge that waking up unable to breath had given him. "Sorry man, I don't speak Russian." He choked out once able. The man growled out something else in reply, and Tony tried to ignore the shiver that ran up his spine at the malicious tone of voice the huge blonde Russian used.

The man swooped down suddenly and grabbed a hold of him, forcing him to his feet despite the numbness still infusing his limbs. Tony tried to find his balance and pull away at the same time, only to end up back on the cold stone floor. His hands were tied in rough rope behind his back, he realized. The voice growled at him again, and Tony shot a mutinous look at the man in response, willing his legs to start working again.

The man grabbed him again, fisting the back of his shirt in his meaty hands and holding Tony in place until he was able to find his balance. As soon as he was more or less on his feet, the man began pushing him out of the small metal room he'd been locked in before.

Tony looked around as they entered a long hallway, rows of heavy steel doors moving uniformly down the length of it. Despite himself, a look of shock overtook his features. "Do you, are there people in all of those?" He asked in horror.

The man let out a sinister sounding laugh, but otherwise didn't respond to him. Tony tried to keep track as the man drug him down one hallway and then the next, the huge amount of turns and double backs making him dizzy and nauseous.

A nagging sensation kept trying to grab his attention over the rough drag of his unsteady gait. He focused on it finally, realizing it was the tug of his chest hair under the tape being tugged on by the Russian's forceful hold. A surge or adrenaline strengthened him, and he had to stop himself from rambling then and there in an attempt to communicate with someone on the other end. That wire might just be his saving grace, but he couldn't give away that it was there too quickly or he'd be screwed.

He could hear the noise before they arrived, the sound of hundreds of people, jeering and stomping their feet. Tony had an unpleasant idea of where they were headed, and he tried even harder to shake off the fog from the sedative.

They came to a stop just before two huge wooden doors secured with a heavy metal latch. As they stood there, the sound of the crowd began to quiet until they could hear the sound of someone speaking. The man who was speaking had an accent as well, though he didn't think it was Russian. It almost sounded African.

" **Ladies and Gentlemen**!" The man shouted above the lingering rumble. " **As many of you know, this is our last week on this beautiful island!** " He announced, a chorus of cheers and boos rising up in response. " **You've all been a wonderful audience, and to thank you, we've brought you something extra special!** "

" **Please, give a warm welcome, to tonight's contestant- 'The Agent!' He's not one of our normal challengers, and he's never fought professionally, but with more than a dozen years in law enforcement under his belt, and a few other golden nuggets that'll come out later, we're expecting great things from him!** "

" **Here's how it's gonna go! We're gonna change things up a bit for this very special bonus. Instead of our normal tournament style lineup, The Agent is going to be the main attraction through the night! We'll start by pairing him up with our current hand-to-hand champion, Damion! Should he survive his first lineup, he'll face 'The Machete' in a game of knifes. And if he survives that? Well, then he'll face Kiara! And then if, by some miracle, he survives her? He'll go on to compete in our Grand Finale this Friday Night! And remember folks- the winner of the Grand Finale win's their freedom from the Club!** "

While the man was speaking, the doors began to open. The Russian holding him leant close to his ear, and stated in a deadly, wrathful tone, "The man you shot is my brother. I'm very much looking forward to watching this." He spoke in heavily accented English, and then shoved Tony forward into the blinding brightness of the room in front of him.

Tony stumbled and fell, unable to catch himself as his hands were still tied. He used his shoulder to push himself up to his knees, squinting up into the brightness to try and see what was happening. The spots began to clear slowly, and he realized he was in a room surrounded by smooth walls that must have risen ten feet, with a further ten feet covered in some kind of clear glass. At the top of the wall were arena like seats, filled to the brim with screaming people.

The room itself formed a circle, with two identical wooden doors built seamlessly into the sides. It looked to be about fifty feet in diameter, and covered in sand. That would be tiring, Tony noted immediately. The second door began opening, and Tony forced his body to quickly roll onto it's back, so that he could force his bound arms around his legs and back in front of him. It was much easier to push himself to his knees the second time, and then to his feet.

They tingled like crazy, but bore his weight. He fumbled with his belt buckle, removing the hidden knife discreetly in the palm of his hand. Using his thumb to hold it, be began sawing at the rope in a way that was mostly hidden from sight.

He held himself bowed over, so that the knot of rope was mostly hidden in the curve of his stomach around it. As soon as he felt a piece of rope give way, he tucked the knife back into its holder, hoping it might somehow go unnoticed. He began twisting his arms and wrists, forcing the rope to loosen at the expensive of his top layer of flesh. He ignored the stinging as he forced first one wrist and then the other free of their confines.

The ball of rope dropped to the ground as the newcomer entered the room. He was about the same size as Tony, but much more muscular. " **And he's already escaped his confines! How did he do that?! I'm telling you, folks, we're in for a treat tonight!** " The announcer continued to commentate, as Tony eyed up his opponent.

~*~ Back at Five-O Headquarters ~*~

The frozen super that engulfed everyone ended when the announcer laid out the plans for the night. They'd all immediately gone back to work, still listening to the nightmare occurring somewhere else on the island. "Kono, is there any way to trace the wire back to where it's receiving?" Steve demanded shortly.

"No, not with this one. It's just a one-way receiver boss, we didn't need anything more than that." Kono responded, frowning.

Danny arrived then, hurrying into the room. "We've got a match on the fingerprint." He announced, joining them at the table. "What's going on here?" He asked, stopping in surprise when he started hearing what was playing in the room.

"They're making Tony fight." Steve said stoically. "What have you got?" When Danny didn't answer immediately, eye's focused on the device playing the sound, Steve barked his name.

Danny shook off his stupor, and continued his initial announcement. "We got a positive ID on the fingerprint taken off the car. It belongs to Nicholi Portnoy, though he goes by Nicholas Taylor while in America. His brother is Марк Portnoy, who we already know goes by Mark Taylor. They're from Russia, Moscow to be exact, and they're both wanted internationally for human trafficking, and other crimes against humanity, including torture and enslavement."

"Neither of them are in the country legally, and both were last identified in Kazakhstan back in November. They're have been a lot of people after these guys, and they haven't been caught yet." Danny finished, also handing Steve Tony's phone.

"We caught one of them." Steve denied, voice icy. "And I don't care what the hospital said, we're talking to him tonight." He turned on the screen of the phone and showed it to Kono. "Run this number, I want to know where it came from and who it was." She nodded silently and began to do so.

The phone had two new voicemails, and Steve had only left one. He selected the other one, putting the phone on speaker and laying it on the computer table. Steve began frowning quickly though, contents of the message not what he would have been expecting.

"Tony, hey, it's Brad. Look man, you know that I get a courtesy copy of your records, as your referring provider, right? What are you doing Tony? Look man, I know this is frustrating, and I know you're tired of having to deal with it, but you can't ignore the doctors. We've been over this before, being non-compliant can get you killed. You have to take this stuff seriously. I know you don't like dealing with new doctors, but I can't be your primary in Hawaii. Dr. Pauahi is one of the best Pulmonologists in the world, alright? You need to listen to him. I scheduled your follow up appointment for you, the same day and time as your last one so hopefully it'll work for you. Tuesday at 2:00. I know how stubborn you are, and I know you'll never follow all of our recommendations, but you can find a compromise you're both comfortable with, like we did when we first started working together, right? Give him a chance, go to your follow up. I'll know if you don't. Talk to you soon." The phone clicked, and Steve reached out and exited the voice mail before the message he'd left could begin playing.

Tony's own team members were looking at the screen uncomfortably, obviously feeling privy to something they had no right to. Danny, Kono and Chin were watching Steve for his reaction, and he was careful to keep his face blank. After a second, he turned to Kono for her findings. She cleared her throat and began reading. "Commander Brad Pitt began his career serving in the Navy, and then went on to be an infection disease specialist who operates out of Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, boss." Kono offered immediately.

"So, the call had nothing to do with the abduction?"

"No." Kono stated. "But when I run the search for him against Tony, everything is above my clearance level, except that he's listed as Tony's Primary Care Physician."

"Okay." Steve said, trying to let go of the irrelevant curiosity grasping him in favor of the much more important issues at hand. What he was still hearing over the live feed wasn't helping his state of mind any, and he was getting more and more desperate for something to break. He closed his eyes, blocking out the pained grunts he could hear and wracking his brain. "Ben-Gidon." He announced. "He told Tony he knows where the fighters are being held."

"Yeah, but he's not going to be here until morning. We have no idea where to find him until then." Danny argued.

"True, but Tony called him a friend. Maybe he has his number." He said, immediately going into Tony's substantial list of contacts. He looked under 'B' first, and then for 'Malachi.' There wasn't either name, but there was a listing under 'Mal.' Steve remembered Tony calling the man that once and clicked on the number to open it. "The country code for Israel is 972. This has to be him." He said softly out loud, clicking 'call' without further hesitation and hitting speaker phone, gesturing Kono to turn down the volume of the feed.

Danny jumped forward, gesturing for the phone like he might take it away. "Are you crazy?" He hissed. "We know nothing about this guy!"

"Tony trusts him." Steve stated stubbornly, listening to the phone click. Silence filled the air, but Steve was sure someone was on the other end. "Agent Ben-Gidon?" He asked to the silence. "My name is Commander Steve McGarrett. We have a mutual friend."

The voice from earlier spoke then. "Commander McGarrett. I hear we will be working together soon." He commented, seemingly unfazed by the unexpected late night call.

"I'm hoping we can move that up." Steve said, cutting immediately to the point. "Tony never made it back after meeting you earlier this evening. We have surveillance that shows him being abducted. I understand you know where this ring operates from?"

"I do. But that won't help you tonight."

"Why is that?" He asked, forcing his voice to remain calm.

"Because it is heavily fortified and nearly impossible to infiltrate by force. It would result in mass causalities on both sides. Tonight was not supposed to be a fight, so I have nothing set up to get inside."

"Then how were you planning to extract your agent?" Danny spoke up, voice harsh as Steve's jaw clenched tighter still.

"Ahh, you must be the good Detective Williams." Malachi stated. Silence followed his statement, and he sounded amused when he spoke again. "Yes, Detective, I know who you are. I don't generally make a habit of agreeing to work with people I do not know. To answer your question, I have a plan in place for this Friday. The ring will be showing its Grand Finale, and they are expecting a thousand people to turn out. It is easier to get inside then."

"A thousand?" Chin said. "You're saying a thousand people are going to show up to watch this."

"That is what I said." He acknowledged.

"We can't wait until Friday." Steve spoke up again, voice raised slightly. "I don't think Tony'll make it that long."

"He'll have to." Malachi responded, sounding almost bored. "There's nothing we can do to move up the plans. If we try, everything will fall apart. I must go now. I will be there in the morning, as agreed." He hung up without another word, to the shock of the room still listening.

"Tony considers that guy a friend?" Danny said with disgust. "What a joke."

Steve shook his head. "Kono, patch the feed into my com. We're going to talk to our suspect." He ordered, gesturing for Danny to follow him out.

~*~ Tony POV ~*~

Tony ignored the blood pooling in the gashes around his wrists, and the irritation of sand sticking to the new wounds. The man coming towards him had thick muscles and intricate tattoo's decorating his arms and chest. His head was shaved smooth, and his eyes were dark and angry.

He began circling Tony in the sand, Tony moving in tandem to stay facing him. "Damion, right?" Tony tried, voice forcibly hopeful. The man didn't respond, but faked a jab towards him. "Look, Damion, I don't want to fight you, alright?" The man lunged at him again, and Tony had to dodge the blow. "Seriously, man, let's talk about this." He tried again, knowing it was fruitless, but unable to bite his tongue. When Damion lunged again, Tony's legs failed to hold up to his attempted lunge and he found himself crashing down into the sand once again.

He rolled quickly to his back to avoid the fist colliding with where his head had been previously. He used the other man's pause in momentum to sweep his legs out from under him with a twist of his torso. He threw his body on top of the other mans, forcing him into a hold. The roar of the crowd was deafening when Damion managed to get his knee under himself and toss Tony over his shoulder and onto his back. Tony lost his breath, a cough struggling to break free, but no breath in his body to expel it. After what felt like eons, his sternum relaxed and air flowed rapidly into his lungs. He rolled to the side just in time, and then rolled again to his feet.

The two men squared off once more, Damion stony and focused, Tony pained and winded.

The pain helped him focus however, and he felt more energized, fog lifting slightly from his head. He lowered himself into a better stance, and took note of what the other man's feet were doing. He swallowed hard when he did it, forcing down the cough that still wanted to escape. He couldn't afford the distraction just then, and he'd be damned if he allowed his ruined lungs to be the reason he lost his life.

This time it was Tony that lunged, needed something else to focus on and tired of waiting for it to come to him. He attacked quickly and furiously, forcing Damion to retreat several paces. And then suddenly Damion turned the tables, spinning them around so that it was Tony whose back was literally to the wall.

Tony crouched lower, body swaying back and forth as he waited. Damion moved in closer, nearly pinning him to the wall with his body. His patience paid off, and when the time was just right, he spun his trap. He lunged, but not to try and break free as Damion was expecting. No, instead, he grabbed the back of Damion's neck and used the man's forward momentum, combined with his own strength, to smash his face into the cement wall.

The man staggered backwards, blood bubbling to the surface from the split flesh of his forehead and his broken nose. "Sorry, man." Tony mumbled quietly and the crowd grew even louder, if it were at all possible. "Told you I didn't want to fight." He'd fallen to his back, losing consciousness as his blood began to form a gruesome circle around his head in the sand.

The door Damion had come through opened again, and a line of guards in black half-masks ran into the room, all pointing AK-47s at him. As Tony was already back against the furthest wall, he simply put his hands up and held still as two of the men separated and grabbed Damion by the legs. The moved back behind the line, dragging his former opponent back through the door.

A third man broke free and picked up the rope that had been around his wrists. He held it up and examined it closely. " **Cut**!" He shouted once, and the crowd broke into another round of jeers. The announcer spoke up and the crowd quieted again slowly. " **It seems The Agent already has a knife on him!** " He shouted. " **So I suppose he won't be in need of one of ours for this next match?** " Shouting met his suggestion and he chuckled lowly into the mic. " **Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome Machete!** "

The group of armed men backed uniformly out of the arena, only to be replaced by a slender man wielding a serrated bowie knife as long as his forearm. " **I suggest you arm yourself, Agent.** " The announcer taunted, to the crowds amusement.

"You've got to be kidding me." Tony whispered, keeping his hands posed to block at chest height. He didn't want to reveal where his knife was, not yet. The man moved closer, nearly dancing across the sand. He looked like he enjoyed what was happening, and Tony was willing to bet he was there by choice.

He moved closer slowly, putting on more of a show than Damion had. He flourished his knife so that it's blade caught the light from above and reflected into a teasing, glowing circle that landed first on Tony's face, and then moved slowly down his jaw line, across his neck and then down to rest over his heart.

Tony tried to ignore his confident, bloodthirsty smirk, and studied the fluid movements of his body, looking for cues into his actions. When he saw the mans left leg take half a step forward, he was prepared for the lunge that followed. He underestimated the other man's speed, however, and ended up with a line of fire scored across the meat of his right bicep. The pain didn't ebb, however, but continue to grow in severity until it felt like a line of acid burning across his flesh.

"Do you feel that?" The man taunted, reaching his tongue out like he was going to lick the blood from the edge of his blade. "I made it myself. It's a derivative of the Box Jellyfish venom. All of the pain, none of the danger."

Tony grit his teeth against the agonizing sear, and forced himself to dodge with the blade darted towards him once again. 'None of the danger.' He told himself mentally, despite his arm feeling like it was going to sever and fall off. 'That means it's just pain, and pain doesn't matter. It's just mental. Pain, pain is mental, it can be pushed past.' He kept up a running commentary in his head, though his teeth were clenched too tightly together for any of it to be spoken aloud.

The room faded away and his focus was held solely by his opponent. Any reluctance to hurt this man that he'd felt before had faded away under his sadistic pleasure at causing pain to others. Tony wondered how many others he'd sliced up with knifes dipped in his little concoction, how many might still be in agony over a slice given days or even weeks before.

The Box Jellyfish were native to Hawaii, and were common a week after the full moon. Anyone who'd spent any significant amount of time on the island would be aware of them, and of the pain they were capable of causing. Steve, unsurprisingly, had been the one to first teach him about them, years previously.

The reminder of Steve, that the man might be listening in to what was happening, gave him a renewed surge of stubbornness to power through and meet forward thrust by blocking and sweeping aside his wrist. The man was able to keep his footing, and quickly moved in for another strike. Tony dodged that one completely, and then the next and the next. On the fourth strike Tony faked like he was going to repeat the same maneuver, but instead of pivoting away to the left, he bounced off of his left foot and lunged right, grabbing his wrist under the knife and forcing his arm around and behind his back.

The man twisted his wrist with a growl, and Tony felt another line of fire sear up the underside of his left arm. He was able to keep his grip, despite the pain, and twisted the mans arm further and further until the blade fell limply from his fingers and into the sand below.

Tony shoved him away with all his strength, using the space to swoop down and pick up the knife for his own. The other man looked furious when he swung back around and saw his prized blade in the hand of one he perceived as a slave. He fell on Tony with a flurry of movement's, trying to overwhelm him with his sheer speed and presence.

Tony had already worked out his technique, however, and the only thing it did was slow him down for a few extra seconds. He was still able to catch the man as he moved in for a low blow and then tried to spin just as quickly away. He caught his open hand by the wrist in his left hand and pinned it against the wood of the door Tony had been shoved through. He seemed shocked by the sudden halt of his motions, and could only look at Tony with wide eyes before Tony used his other hand to drive the blade through the meaty center of his palm to ebbed in the thick wood beneath it.

The man moaned in response, reaching with his free hand to grasp at the handle of the blade. Despite his efforts, he was unable to pull it free, and his moan soon turned to a keen and the venom continued to make direct contact with the flesh surrounding it. After a minute of struggling and increasing sounds of pain, the troop of armed and masked men entered once again.

Tony stepped back against the wall, showing his hands once again and holding his position while they tore the blade free and half carried, half drug the whimpering man from the arena. As he was left temporarily alone in the arena once more, Tony allowed himself to slump forward and the cough break free of its fleshy prison. He could feel sweat dotting across his flesh and felt feverish and dizzy.

" **Well, well, well, ladies and gentlemen. Did any of you think that our new Agent would make it this far? I know I sure didn't. If you've lost your bets already, we strongly encourage you to place a new one on this final match. Who will walk away the victor? The Agent? Or the majestic and ferocious Kiara! We'll allow a five-minute window for you to place your bids!** " The commentator announced with glee and the crowd went crazy.

Tony was grateful for the small break, despite the dread he felt and the nausea filling his gut from the unabating pain throbbing from both arms. He slumped back against the wall, sliding down to sit on the ground despite his best efforts. Once there, he decided to take advantage of his position and allowed his body to relax and rest briefly. He wasn't sure who Kiara was, but he didn't think she could be worse than a poisoned blade wheeling sociopath with a blood fetish. Maybe. Hopefully. He decided not to think about it until he had to, and leant his head back against the cooler stone of the wall.

He remained in the same position until the announcer began counting down from thirty. The roar of a large, angry cat could be heard through the walls, and the crowd began to cheer and chant. Tony felt himself pale, and pushed himself quickly back to his feet, black dots spotting his vision for a long moment.

Unknown to him, about twenty miles south of his location, Steve heard the hiss of the cat over his head set and froze mid step as he moved through the hospital on the way to question their suspect.

Tony remembered Palowunu mentioning that Taylor had been involved in black market ivory trade, and he wondered then if another of his charges might include exotic animal trade as the doors opened a final time and a beautiful Bengal Tiger trotted lazily into the arena, locking electric yellow eyes on him immediately.

It couldn't have been full grown, at least he didn't think so. He was pretty sure tigers got bigger than that, he contemplated, tilting his head to the side. "Nice kitty?" He tried, holding a hand out hopefully, because there was no way this was his life, and why the hell not try it. It stepped towards him, crouching and letting out a rumbling growl that seemed to go on for ages and left a shiver thrumming through his spine and down to the tips of his fingers and toes.

She lunged towards him suddenly, leaping off her feet and hurling herself through the air towards him. Tony threw himself to the side, but was already convinced he was a dead man. Pain seared down his right shoulder blade, and he knew he hadn't missed her completely. For a moment, he felt sheer, blinding panic and hopelessness. How could he possibly survive this? He forced himself to turn and face her, warring between whether it would be better to try and make himself look bigger, or drop and play dead.

But tigers were called man eaters. He remembered that from the horrendous film Maneater that had come out in '07 and that he'd made the mistake of watching. So playing dead was probably out, because the tiger might just decide he was ready to eat. Especially if it was hungry, which it's thin frame made Tony think it probably was.

It started to trot towards him again and, feeling desperate, he jumped towards it, flapping his arms in the air and letting out a shout that was a combination of terror, pain and sheer rage at the circumstance. The tiger jerked its head back and veered off to circle around again, sizing him up from the small distance away.

Tony started talking to himself quietly, unable to be heard over the rumble of the crowd above him. "There's no way this is happening." He told himself, moving to keep the animal in his direct line of sight. "You're dreaming, or you already died and this is some deranged Valhalla. Because this isn't Rome, and people don't get thrown into arenas with fucking tigers." He mumbled angrily. "No, just you, and your fucking DiNozzo luck." The tiger came towards him again, and they went through the same dance. "Bad kitty. You're a very bad kitty. Down kitty." He scolded it, mind blank and body acting on instinct.

It batted at him with a dinner plate sized paw, but didn't make contact and seemed to be testing him more than anything. It growled at him again, dipping its head down to lick at the top of its paw, eyes never leaving his face. If only he had something to block with, or trap it with, he though desperately, eyes scanning the empty pit helplessly.

The guards had removed the bowie knife when they'd removed the last challenger, and Tony was all that stood inside the arena. All's he had on him were his shoes, pants, belt, and button up shirt. He had his belt! He remembered, reaching down to open the buckle and pull the whole thing free of his belt loops.

The small triangular blade he looped over his middle finger and held it so that the blade pointed out over the palm of his hand. The belt he held dangling from the other, thankful for the sturdy craftsmanship of the leather. When the tiger batted at him again, he slapped his hand out and stabbed the pad of her paw with the blade.

She let out a roaring hiss, drawing back with a limp and a growl. She seemed to swell in size. She turned away from him to begin pacing once again, but he lunged onto her broad back before she could move too far away, looping the strong leather around her huge neck and pulling tight.

She snarled and snapped, thrashing around and throwing herself into the concrete walls surrounding them. Tony knew if he let go he'd be dead and so he forced his knees to squeeze around her shoulder blades even more tightly, and clenched his fingers around the leather until they went numb and lost their feeling.

Slowly, ever so slowly, her struggles waned. Eventually, her legs gave out and she fell heavily down onto her chest. Still Tony held the belt, not wanting to kill her but unable to let go of the one thing saving his life just yet. His entire body ached, both arms burning like they were still sitting in a pool of acid and his back feeling like it'd been, well, shredded by a two-hundred pound Bengal Tiger.

As he felt her muscular body fall limp beneath him, he himself slumped over, weak from the excretion and blood loss. He could hear the commentator saying something, could hear the crowd roaring, but his vision went dark and he lost his all awareness of the situation.

 _~*~ TBC ~*~_

 _A/N: There will be one more chapter of this, and then I will probably take a break from this series.. Well, maybe. I hope it meets your expectations, please let me know what you think, and thank you to those of you who have given me your feedback already. This chapter is not beta'd, and I will re-read through it tomorrow to try and find any errors._


	10. La: Mahele Elua (Taken: Part Two)

One of the first missions Steve had been given as a SEAL put him in city in China called Tanbian, just North of the boarder of North Korea. He'd stumbled across a Bengal Tiger, chained down on the sidewalk outside a shop like some macabre mascot. It looked like it had been there for a long time, but it hadn't lost its fight. Even with a thick leather strap holding its mouth shut, it had made the most horrendous rumbling noise from deep in its chest. At the time, it had reminded him of his dad's beat up old lawnmower when he'd first get it to turn over and rumble to life.

The day before they'd moved South, that tiger had broken through the rusted old chains holding it in place and managed to maul a dozen people before being subdued. When he heard that same noise come over his com, he felt his blood freeze in his veins and thought he might be sick. He felt someone, Danny, take his arm and lead him over to the side of the hall, but couldn't focus on anything but the sound of Tony's rapid breaths and the jeers of what sounded like a couple of hundred people baying for his blood.

Part of him wanted to reach up and rip the small plastic device from his ear so he didn't have to listen to what he was sure was going to happen. The larger part of him couldn't bear to leave Tony alone to his fate, even if he didn't know Steve was with him. When he heard Tony call out to it, it hit him that it was really happening, that Tony was really facing down one of nature's most fearsome predators, and for some psycho's _sport_. He found himself sliding down the wall until he was crouched on his tiptoes with the curve of his back pressed against it and his hands twisted together against his mouth, elbows propped on his knees. His eyes stared down at a spot of _something_ on the tile floor and he literally stopped breathing.

He remained in that position through all of the stomach churning noises that occurred. It felt like it took hours, but he knew it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. The worst part was, he couldn't tell for sure what was happening. Once Tony stopped talking, all's he could hear were screams cut through occasionally by heavy thuds and grunts of pain and determination. When the motion related noises stopped, Steve didn't know what to think. The crowd was louder than ever, and it was all he could hear. The commentator was speaking, but he couldn't make out what he was saying.

When Steve was finally able to make it out, the relieved gulp of air he took gave him an oxygen rush to powerful he thought he might actually pass out then and there. " **AND THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS!** " The man was shouting louder than ever. " **WE'LL BE SEEING THE AGENT BACK THIS FRIDAY NIGHT! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!** " His eyes clenched in incredulity and disbelief. He didn't know how the other man had managed to not only survive, but subdue the beast long enough to be declared the winner. Still, he knew the struggle couldn't have be easy, especially when the sound of the guards returning came, and with it, the sound of Tony's limp body being dragged against first sand or maybe dirt, and then against stone.

It wasn't until the grating noise stopped and the sound of a heavy metal door shutting blocked out the ambient noises enough for Tony's raspy, uneven breath to be heard once again. Even then, Steve remained in his crouch for several more seconds, getting control of the paralyzing fear that had gripped his chest and mentally preparing himself to press on. Only then did he push himself back to his feet and step away from the support of the wall.

Danny had taken up a protective stance in front of him while he'd been lost in the sounds. He was standing next to where his knee had been, facing away from him with his arms crossed and a fierce scowl for anyone who thought it was a good idea to look their way. Steve felt a hum of gratitude fill him, thankful once again that the ornery, sarcastic and angry man had stumbled into his life. Despite his foul mood and temper, the short blond detective had become one of the truest friends he'd ever had, and probably would ever have. "Mahalo." He said softly, voice like gravel, once he was able to speak again.

Danny nodded silently, but didn't respond verbally. He'd heard the same play-by-play in his own ear, and his face had taken on the cold stony expression it got only when he was truly pissed. Steve felt his anger and grabbed ahold of it, using it to build his own rage until it outweighed the lingering sense of hopelessness.

He'd felt like this the day his dad had died, from the moment he knew Hess was going to kill his father and that there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Then it had been over fairly quickly. This time though, the moment wasn't ending. It was just stretching on and on, and he didn't know how he was supposed to stand it for much longer.

So he didn't. He locked down on the fear and the hopelessness and turned that hollow ache into a furiously simmering rage. As soon as they arrived at their suspects room, Steve knew something was wrong. There was only one officer stationed at the door, where there should have been two, and it wasn't someone Steve recognized. Granted, he couldn't claim to know them all by name, but he'd at least recognize them.

At quick glance at Danny said he'd noticed the same thing. "Evening." The shorter man greeted the unknown police officer. "Everything going okay here?"

"Of course." The man responded with an odd smile. "The patients' asleep. Doctors say he won't be awake until morning."

"Really." Danny said, though not as a question. "That why your backup's missing?" He questioned directly, not willing to beat around the bush just then. It was a fair question, they'd left strict instructions to have two guards on the door at all times, and there was no reason for it to not have been done.

The man smiled blandly at them. "He stepped out for a smoke. We figured there was no harm, seeing as our prisoner is asleep."

"There's definitely harm in it." Danny said, scowling at him. "What's your badge number? And who's here with you?" He demanded.

The man smiled again, looking like he had a secret and he was enjoying keeping it to himself. It was obvious he knew he was caught out on whatever ploy he was attempting, because he stopped trying to look innocent and let the creep factor ratchet up in his twisted grin. Before they realized he was moving, his hand had found his gun and ripped it from its holster. Steve drew his own gun half a second later, but the man wasn't aiming at them. Before they could react, he'd drawn it against the underside of his own chin and pulled the trigger.

"No!" Steve shouted, lowering his own gun and jumping forward fruitlessly to try and stop him. It didn't matter, as bits of blood and brains splattered and began dripping from the once sterile white wall and ceiling behind him.

"What the hell was that?!" Danny demanded, taking a half-step back.

"Damn it!" Steve cursed, ducking down and already knowing his fingertips weren't going to find a pulse. He kept his gun in his hand when he moved to the door and opened it consciously. He peered around the edge and then stepped fully inside a second later. "No." He stated in denial, moving further in and confirming that the room was, in fact, empty. "There's no one here!" He exclaimed, spinning around and looking at his partner, who still stood in the hall and had his phone to his ear. "There's no one here, Danny!" He said again, helplessness once again trying to rise to the surface. "Where did he go?"

Danny hung up and strode down the hall to the nurses station. "Hey!" He barked, getting the woman's attention immediately. "Where's the prisoner that was in room 409?"

"He's in his room?" She stated hesitantly, and it came out more like a question.

"No, he's not in his room. If he was in his room, I wouldn't have to ask you where he is, would I?" He snapped. "When was the last time you saw him?"

She flinched back slightly at his tone and he almost felt sorry for it. "Well, I haven't actually seen him. I just came on shift at ten, and I haven't rounded on him yet."

Steve glanced down at his watch. It wasn't even ten o'clock, but it felt like it should have been so much later. So much had already happened it felt like it had been days since they'd found Tony missing.

"Okay, well you give each other some type of report, right?" Danny demanded. "What did the last nurse say?"

"Uh, she said she gave him his pain medicine at six, but that the officer guarding the room told her she couldn't do hourly rounding on him because of the circumstances of, uhm, him being here. She just checked in the with officer to see if the patient needed anything."

"Wait, at six? That can't be right, we were told he was just going into surgery at 5:45."

"Surgery? I'm sorry, but the patient in room 409 didn't have surgery."

"Yes he did." Danny said stubbornly. "Mark Taylor, 'bout this tall, blond hair? Bullet in his ass? He had surgery to have it removed." His voice was like a whip.

She shook her head. "Mark Taylor did not have surgery." She stated, more firmly. "When a bullet is embedded in soft tissue, especially as deeply as this one was, removing it can do more damage than leaving it in place. They wouldn't operate unless it was causing complications.

Steve and Danny traded looks. "So what you're saying is that no one has actually seen the prisoner in almost four hours." Danny deadpanned, frowning at her.

"The guard-" She began to defend, but Danny cut her off.

"The guard is dead, didn't you hear the gunshot? What is wrong with you."

She paled. "I thought someone dropped an oxygen tank again." She stuttered.

"Danny." Steve said, and the man quieted. "Are there any cameras here?" Steve continued, looking back at the nurse.

"No, I'm sorry. This is considered a patient care area, there aren't any camera's in here."

Steve turned away in disgust, moving back towards the room with long strides, pulling his phone out and dialing Kono as he went.

~*~ Tony's POV ~*~

Tony came awake slowly, feeling uncomfortable, but exhausted enough to try and cling to sleep despite it. When he did become conscious of his body, he couldn't help but let out a tiny whimper. He'd been tossed down roughly on his front, and he'd stiffened up in the position he'd fallen in.

He stretched his legs out first, those being the least sore out of his body and feeling almost normal. He moved his left arm first, the pain from the knife still burning as badly as it had when he'd first been cut. He swallowed harshly and moved on. The right arm was harder, and he could feel that his skin from the top of his right shoulder, and all the way down to the start of the dip to his lower back, had been sliced open by the vicious claws, and then had scabbed over in his slumber.

When the scabs started pulling, he decided he should probably just try and keep that arm still, to lessen the chance of infection as much as possible. Though, with the conditions so far, he thought it might be a longshot anyway. He wondered vaguely if they'd give him any time of medical care, or if they'd just let nature take its course.

He rearranged his tired body to rest on his left shoulder, arm held awkwardly in front of him to avoid pressing on the equally scabbed over slash that ran from the crook of his elbow to half way up to his armpit. He kept his right arm hunched against his chest.

His breath felt rattly in his chest, and the air felt cool against his sweaty flesh. He cleared his throat, fighting down the need to cough that followed, knowing it would open up the gashes for sure. As hazy thoughts started to drift back into his mind, he started to focus beyond the haze of discomfort to what was actually happening.

He remembered the wire he still wore, could feel it still tugging against his chest hair even through all the commotion. The thought brought a weak smile to his lips and he choked out a small, one-note laugh. He cleared his throat once again, and then began to talk. "I don't know if anyone is listening. Or if this thing is still working." He paused, small cough rising despite his best efforts. His voice was weaker than he intended, and he tried to make it sound stronger.

"I'm underground. I can tell cause the air feels colder and damper, and everything smells like dirt. Plus, they're no windows that I've seen, just lights." He shifted again, thinking about it as his mind wandered more than he realized it was. "Though, I guess that might just be, cause, well, you know, me being a real life gladiator and all." He joked, trying to make light of the situation.

"SITREP." He prompted himself aloud, his voice sounding far away. He frowned at it, answering himself anyway. "Status: Alive." He felt a flash of amusement at himself. "One point for DiNozzo. Condition?" He sniffled. "Needs repairs. That should probably be minus a point. God my head hurts. I think I have a concussion. Minus two points?"

"Okay. Nothing broken. Well, except skin. Does that count as being broken? Huh. It's really an interesting question if you think about it." He rambled on.

"Right." He said, bringing himself back on track a few seconds later. "Building is big. Hallway I'm in has at least thirty doors. Eighty-seven steps to the arena. But I think we might have been going in circles, so maybe not that big. Arena was round, room at least thirty feet high and the pit was fifty feet across. A 'coupa hundred people. In the stands." His voice was fading out. "Can't smell the salt. Inland.. I think... feels like North…. Sor'y Ste've." He finished in a mumble, blackness over taking him once more. "Hafta sleep fer a bit." It was okay though, because the blackness felt soft and comfortable.

When he woke again it was to the clang of the door being opened once again. The same armed guard from the arena appeared, half of them entering and surrounding him, while the other half lined up outside the door with their guns pointed directly at him.

A balding, middle aged man entered the room then, a large case held in his hands. Tony held his position, not really seeing any point in putting himself through trying to move given the circumstances. The man came to kneel down beside his back, and Tony stiffened instinctively.

When the needle jabbed into the flesh of his arm, he though the man might have been giving him a sedative or possibly something for the pain. It turned out to be neither of those things, and he though it might have been some kind of antibiotic, as it left same disgusting metallic taste in his mouth that he would get in the hospital on the IV.

The cold press of scissors appeared on his lower back, and his shirt was cut clean away. In the position he was laying in, he was able to curl his left arm around his chest and keep the wire out of sight, as the man didn't bother to remove the shirt completely, but rather just pushed the bloody, filthy material forward to bunch up on his arms.

He heard the sound of something being unscrewed and then his back was being doused in some type of liquid. He wasn't sure what it was, but the smell of it burned his eyes, and the liquid itself set his back on fire until the pain of it was competing with the pain that still seared across his arms.

He grit his teeth against it, unwilling to make a noise. And they stayed that way through what felt like a steel brush scrubbing out the claw marks, and then another dousing of the liquid. He felt light headed and nauseous, hurting from so many different points his body blurred into one gooey mass of pain.

He still felt the pin prick of a needle being threaded through his flesh, and the skin tugged roughly back together. It seemed to drag on forever and just when he thought he couldn't stand anymore, it stopped. He took a deep breath in through his nose, jaw aching and sore. It only stopped for a few seconds- long enough for the man to tie off the thread and prepare the needle for the next long gash. Then it started over again, and again, until all five of them were sewn shut. He felt some small flare of thankfulness that the fifth gash, the one closest to his spine, was only about 2/3's the length of the others, but even that was a cold comfort.

He thought it was over at that point. Until the remanence of his shirt were shoved down even further and the liquid splashed against the first knife wound. Though there, the pain from the poison still outweighed the pain of the liquid. The small, lucid, part of his mind wondered if perhaps the disinfectant would help take away some of the inexorable _burning_. It didn't.

By the time he was finally left alone, his head was lolling on the ground, and he was drenched once again in sweat. He'd managed to hold his shredded shirt against his chest despite everything, wire safely hidden beneath the bundle. With the little strength he had left, he curled his hand around the wire from above the cloth and used it to pull it free and wrap it up. Securely hidden once again from sight, he pulled the bundle closer to his chest and then maneuvered it slowly up to rest under his head.

His eyes rolled around in the back of his head, and the ceiling blurred and crisscrossed above him. He felt the vague sense of being grateful they'd bothered to starve off infection, even if it was only to keep him going until he could meet his slaughter in less than three days.

He wondered if they actually let the winner go, as they claimed to. He thought the more likely scenario was that they killed the champion while claiming to have released them. It took a lot to survive something like this, to win in something like this. To prove that you wanted to survive more than you wanted the other person to live, that you were willing to kill to make that happen.

He couldn't imagine every single one who'd managed to make it through all of that, would go quietly back to their normal lives and that the ring would go undiscovered for as long as it had. Before he could contemplate it farther, his eyes rolled back for the final time and he fell back into the comforting arms of unconsciousness.

At the same time, Steve was standing in front of the large screen, watching photograph after photograph pop up as the program tried to find a match to their mystery police officer, who it turned out, wasn't actually an officer at all. The two who were supposed to have been assigned were missing, assumed taken by the same ring (which was preferable to thinking they'd been killed and their bodies dumped somewhere).

It was coming up on three in the morning. He'd given up and sent the others home somewhere after midnight, when they were at dead ends yet again. His own team hadn't been home to sleep in three days, and they'd all be more fresh and ready to move out in the morning. Steve though, Steve couldn't bring himself to leave. He kept his earwig in and listened to every breath, every sigh and every unconscious groan of pain, knowing they meant the other man was still alive.

When he heard the clamber begin, he could tell they were providing rudimentary medical care, and he remanded still and stiff for the duration, knowing that if they were going to find the wire, it would be then. By some miracle they didn't, and when it was over, Tony's uneven breathing returned and he relaxed slightly once again.

And that's where he remained, until Danny arrived back at seven, the other's soon after. They went back to the beginning and began combing over every piece of evidence they had, trying to find some break, something they might have missed.

The Five-O security guard accompanied two people up at 8:00. Steve had already left instructions to let them up so they arrived at just 8:02. Malachi was familiar. The woman accompanying him was petite and almost fragile looking, with light brown hair and a pout that looked natural on her attractive face.

They were perfectly composed upon arriving in the room full of freshly caffeinated and desperately working agents. "Commander McGarrett." The man said, nodding his head in greeting. "Agents. This is my partner, Liat."

"Thank you for coming." Steve forced himself to say, burying the lingering anger from being brushed off the night before. He knew they were capable of helping, and he needed the knowledge they held.

The man smiled, though it didn't look friendly. "The only reason we are here is because I gave my word that I would listen. The one person that made me willing to work with you is no longer here. So tell me, Commander, why we should not simply leave right now?"

Danny's expression turned affronted, though it had been hovering on a fine line beside it already, and he looked ready to speak up but Steve silenced him with a look. "Because Tony believes you're a good man." He said replied, stepping towards him. "And I trust his judgement. He said you'd put the success of the mission above everything else, and that you would see that working with us would have the best chance of that happening. Was he wrong?" Steve finished in a demanding voice, arms crossed over his chest. He was taller than the Israeli, and more muscular, but it didn't seem to intimidate him as his lips curled.

"I can see why Tony calls you 'friend.'" The man stated. "You are very loyal to him. I too, call Tony friend, and that is not something I say about very many people. This is what I am willing to offer. We have a plan in place to infiltrate the facility on Friday night. We had initially planned on simply extracting our agent and leaving. In light of your own mission, we are willing to alter our plans to include your operatives as well, and are open to negotiating the specific details of the plan. We are not willing to move the time line in any way, as it has long been selected as the optimal timing for the best chance of success."

"You said there are going to be a thousand people there on Friday. Wouldn't it be better to go in without all the people?"

"No." Malachi stated firmly. "We've identified that the compound has twenty guards armed with AK-47s on the premises at all times. When there is a fight, they are all stationed around the arena, or escorting fighters directly to and from the arena. When there is not a fight, they have stationary guards in the halls, in addition to a continuous patrol. In addition, the noise of the crowd will muffle any noises we inadvertently make. It is the best time."

"I understand that. But Tony was injured pretty badly last night. I don't know if he can survive that long." Steve insisted.

"If we change the timeline, our chance of success drops approximately 67%. That is bigger than the life of one person. Tony is stubborn. You said he was injured. That means he survived whatever it is they put him through once. He will survive until Friday. You should have more faith in your friend."

Steve scowled at him, mentally toying with the idea of throwing him down into the integration room and keeping him there until he told him where Tony was being held. He had a feeling that would take more than three days, however, and so had to be thrown out.

"Do we have a deal?" Malachi pressed at Steves silence.

"It doesn't sound like we have a choice." Steve rumbled.

"Oh, no, you most definitely have a choice. You can choose to proceed on your own, and we may proceed on our own. You are in no way being forced to work with us." He rebuked firmly. "As a show of friendship, I would even be willing to extract Tony in addition to my own agent."

"Still leaving fourteen American's vulnerable."

"As I previously told Tony. American soldiers are not my objective and so they not my problem, nor my concern. This is what I am willing to offer you. Take it or leave it." He stated firmly.

The two men stared each other down for several long seconds.

"We'll work with you, but under one condition." Steve finally said.

"Oh? And what might that be?" The sarcasm was audible in his voice.

"We don't want to just extract our agents. We want to take down the whole ring."

"You must be joking!" Malachi laughed, followed by the woman beside him. "This organization has been in operation for decades. They have ties to everything from mobs to militia to entire nations. Their economy is equal to that of Australia, easily."

"Australia?" Kono said, speaking up for the first time. "That's an interesting country to choose."

"Not really." Steve replied. "Australia is one of the leading exporters of coal and diamonds, and their economy is ranked 13th in the world." He turned back to look at Malachi, who was nodding at him appreciatidvely. "But the fight we busted up a while ago was tiny compared to this. It only had two fighters, and we were able to seize $200,000 in cash. If we could take them down this time? At an event with a thousand person turn out and at least eighteen captive fighters, that we know of? It'd take them years to rebuild, if they ever could."

Malachi and Liat traded looks, both thinking it through. "We also have SWAT and HPD at our disposal." Steve added to sweeten the deal.

"We're going to have to change the plan completely." Malachi replied.

"Then we should get started." Steve said.

Malachi looked at him for a minute long. "Ok." He finally agreed. "Let's get started."

The next couple of days passed both agonizingly slowly and at times too fast. They were attempting to organize a massive operation in just two days and it was tough going. Aside from one time when it sounded like they might have thrown in a bottle of water, Tony had been left undisturbed and had spent the majority of the time sleeping. He'd woken for brief periods of time, but wasn't really conscious enough to make sense of, still lost in a haze of pain and confusion.

When Friday evening came around, Tony was woken from his slumber by the sound of the door opening followed immediately by the spray of a powerful, icy hose. He startled fully awake, jumping clumsily to his feet and moving back until he was pressed against the wall, arms raising to block it from hitting his face. He turned to put his pack to the hose first, but the pain of it thundering against the tender, if healing, wounds on his back.

He spun back around with a wounded moan, dropping down to squat, so that the only surface for it to hit became his leg up to the knees, his arms, and the top of his head. Still they continued to spray him, until he began shivering despite the relative humidity and warmth of the room.

When it did finally stop, the now familiar troop of armed, masked men entered the room and so he kept his position, peering up at them wearily. The doctor from before entered the room, followed by another man carrying a full tray of food and large bottle of water. It was set on the floor and the second man left as quickly as he'd come.

The doctor stepped closer, holding a syringe loosely in his hand. "Arm." He demanded calmly. Tony didn't move, watching him carefully. "Give me your arm." He repeated after a moment. When Tony still didn't move he continued. "You will be getting this injection, whether you are willing or not. It is up to you how much choose to make it hurt."

"At least tell me what it is first." Tony demanded, voice weaker than he would have liked. He cleared his throat, lungs feeling tight and sore.

"It is a mixture of amphetamine sulphate and hydromorphone." The doctor announced carelessly. "All of our fighters receive it before a big night. It is not personal or optional."

Tony was a little surprised at how easily the doctor had revealed that information, and really that he was responding to him at all. He could have simply had the guards forcibly straighten his arm. He decided to press and see just how talkative the man was willing to be.

"So, how many fighters are in this thing?" He asked, voice sounding conversational, if subdued, as he willingly held out his arm. Speed and pain medicine wasn't the worst thing they could give him. Hadn't even ranked on the five worst things he had been considering, honestly.

"Including you, thirty-seven."

Tony froze as the needle entered his vein and he felt the cool wash of liquid mix with his blood. That was more then they'd been expecting. They'd considered a larger number as a matter of course, but truly hadn't expected there to be any more than twenty or so prisoners.

He could feel his heart rate start to increase almost immediately, and wondered if they adjusted the dose to size, or just gave everyone the same amount and let things play out as they would. "So how does this all play out then?" He asked, feeling like he'd drank a gallon of espresso. His could _feel_ his blood swishing through his veins, and his lingering pain faded to the background under the sensation. The burning of his arms could still be felt peripherally, but he didn't pay it any attention. He felt strong, the strongest he ever had, and he pushed himself to his feet, no longer wanting to be in the constraints of his position.

The gunmen immediately moved in tighter and Tony raised his hands and leaned back against the wall with an almost teasing smirk. He knew if he attempted anything, he'd be holeyer than swiss cheese before he could take so much as a step. No, he'd cooperate. For now.

The doctor moved back to the door but paused before he exited the room. "The tournament is starting now. Your first fight will be in approximately twenty minutes. Eat, if you desire. Everyone deserves a last meal. Make no mistake, Agent DiNozzo, you will die here tonight. You should make peace with that." He advised before he smiled. "Or don't. The one's who refuse to believe it always put up the best fight." He left the room without another word, guards following him immediately.

Once he was alone again he swooped down to pick up his shredded shirt and the radio hidden within. Not only was it sopping wet, it had also been stepped on at least once. He tossed it back down in disgust, pacing across the small room to look at the tray of food they'd brought. It was a piece of steak, a baked potato, green beans, and a roll on the side. He shook his head at it, but reached for the bottle of water.

He tried to move carefully, knowing he might still hurt himself, even if he couldn't feel the pain of it. It has hard to remain cautious when he felt as good as he did though, and he felt a trickle of blood run from the stitches in his arm. The powerful hose had blasted away all of the dried blood, and he looked almost normal when he looked down at himself. He had some bruises across his abdomen, but they were largely hidden under his tan and chest hair.

Other than that, he was wearing black pants that hid any stains, and his equally black shoes. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling agitated and restless. He drank the water as he paced, the twenty minutes seeming to both speed up and slow down. When they came back to get him, he was ready to go with them just to be out of the claustrophobic space.

He was much more aware on the journey this time, and he realized the reason it had seemed so disorienting the first time he'd made the journey was because the whole compound was built in a circular shape.

When they arrived at the familiar wooden door, Tony took a deep breath, trying to steady himself for whatever was going to come through the other side. The roar of the crowd was even louder than before, and he wondered vaguely how it wasn't heard by the rest of the island. The doors didn't open immediately, and Tony glanced over his shoulder to look at the line of armed men. "Is it gonna be a wait then?" He questioned blithely. He could feel the blood start to run down from the bottom of the stitched gashes on his back with his movement and had to stop himself from reaching back to scratch at it.

The doors opened a couple of seconds later and Tony walked forward himself with a 'ta, gentlemen' tossed back with a careless, sloppy salute over his shoulder. His eyes immediately began scanning the arena and he noticed several things that he didn't before. The blinding lights that he remembered were the result of a crisscrossing of scaffolding holding up countless spot lights shinning down on both the crowd and the arena.

When he thought the seats had been filled to the brink, he'd be so, so wrong. He'd seen about half a dozen rows of seats before, and had estimated about one-fifty to two hundred viewers. Now the seats seemed to expand five times as much, and there must have been close to a thousand spectators clamoring above them.

Suddenly, the round hallways made sense. If the arena was as expansive as he now realized it was, the cells must have been built directly underneath the stands. His attention was drawn back to his newest opponent when he noticed the man slowly approaching him.

The man before him was wearing a tight black t-shirt, gleaming dog tags visible resting above, and Tony thought the man might have been focused on them during his own captivity thus far. The man was stocky in build and had short black hair, spiked up wetly. He was wearing a pair of surf shorts with the black shirt, and stood barefoot in the sand.

He looked familiar, and, as he prowled closer, Tony realized it was Nathan Kawika, the first soldier to go missing from Scofield. "Hey, Nate." Tony tried, keeping his stance casual and refusing to take a fighting one. "You go by Nate, right?"

The man, Nate, looked a little spooked, and his eyes darted to the announcer that Tony had been ignoring thus far. When his eyes turned back to Tony, the hesitation had disappeared and he once again looked focused and determined. His stalling gait regained its purpose, and he once again began to approach.

Tony tried to remember what he knew of the man, but was having a hard time recalling the specifics. He decided to wing it instead, and went with his gut. "Nate, I'm Special Agent in Charge, Anthony DiNozzo, from NCIS. I do not want to fight with you." He stated firmly, keeping his hands by his sides.

The man sent him a scathing, vicious look. "You don't have a choice." He said, before he attacked. Tony went on the defensive, refusing to return the blows. Nate backed off, once again circling around him. "It's better to get it over with quickly." Nate offered from his position, not sounding quite as angry as before. "They're not going to let us stop until someone is dead." His face was blank, but Tony could see the haunted look pass briefly over his face.

"I'm not going to kill you, Nate."

"Then I'm going to have to kill you." The man said, jumping forward again. Tony tried to draw it out for as long as he could. He knew, or at least he hoped, that the bust would play out that night. He trusted his team, and he trusted Steve's. He wasn't sure if they'd have the support of the Mossad, considering how things had gone down, but even without them Tony had faith the others would get him out.

So he tried to buy them as much time as possible, toying with the soldier, mind sharp, focused, and with an almost playfully dangerous edge to his movement. He could see Nate getting frustrated and angry, and it was making him lose his own careful control over his movements.

Apparently the commentator was getting tired of his antics too, because two combat knives were dropped in the sand on opposite sides of the arena.

Tony cursed, twisting and darting towards the one closest to him, knowing he'd be at a huge disadvantage if he didn't reach it before the soldier reached the other one. Nate charged him as soon as it was in his hand, and Tony had to twist and parry the blow with his own blade.

Knives had never been his strongest suit. He appreciated them, and he always had one with him, but using them in a fight was never a skill he'd honed too much. When the man breeched his defenses the first time and slashed across his ribs, he didn't feel the pain of it or even realize it had happened until the blood began to run.

When he did notice it, he grit his teeth and stepped up his game. He'd been wanting to draw it not, not get himself more injured, and that was the only blow he was planning to allow the other man to land. Distantly, he could still hear the roar of the crowd and the mechanic sounding voice of the commentator broadcasting above them, but it'd all blended into the same woosh of noise he could still hear thrumming beneath his skin, and thus had been blocked out of his conscious thought.

He shifted his grip on the knife, turning it so the butt of the handle was gripped by his thumb, while the blade itself continued out as an extension of his arm. He readied himself, feet set wide and center of gravity low. When the man tried to slash his throat, Tony ducked down under the blade, raising his own even as his head went down, and stabbed the cruel looking knife deep into the soldiers' shoulder.

Despite his own drug cocktail, the man let out a hoarse shout when the blade was subsequently ripped back out a moment later. His own knife fell from his suddenly limp hand, and Tony swooped down, shouldering heavily into his abdomen with his shoulder. Nate lost his breath, ending up flat on his back in the sand, stunned.

Tony rested the blade of his knife against the other man's neck for several seconds to show that he'd clearly won, and then backed away from the downed man. He grabbed the other knife too and then moved back to stand in front of the wooden door. When it didn't open immediately, he began trying to focus on all the ambient noises to try and make sense of them.

He had a hard time over the rushing in his hears, but finally caught on that they would not declare the fight over until one or the other was no longer breathing. Tony shook his head when he caught on and tossed both knifes down so that they stuck in the sand. He crossed his arms and stared up silently at the spot he knew the commentator stood, even if he couldn't make out what he looked like.

It clearly amused the man, because his laughter came over the loud speaker. " **Not in a hurry to leave the arena, Agent?** " The man mocked him. Nate was pushing himself back to his feet, having regained the ability to breath, and looked unsure at what he was supposed to do. His left arm clasped his still limp right arm, though he didn't look like he was in pain from it.

 _~*~ Back with Five-O ~*~_

Steve crouched tensely on the catwalk above the arena, body hidden by the glare of the lights beside him, shinning down on both arena and audience alike. He could also see several cameras mounted amongst the lights and said as much into his earwig. "How are we doing, guys?" He asked, watching what was going on far below him. Danny had moved around the walkway so that he crouched opposite of him.

The compound was built into the side of a mountain, and was completely enclosed except for the huge entrance doors and the ventilation shafts that lead out to the open. Even the parking area was built underground, a group of valets parking the high-end cars the patrons at a place like this drove. You had to have a chipped invitation to be able to enter the compound doors, which was how Malachi and Liat had entered. They were seated with the crowd.

Five-O and the NCIS agents had simultaneously entered four different vents and lowered themselves into the infrastructure of the compound. The vent Steve and Danny had entered dropped directly above the arena. The others had come in at point around the exterior and so dropped into the hallway of circling cells beyond the arena.

SWAT was moving in to surround the area and would catch anyone who tried to flee. They were almost in place, and then would begin extracting the prisoners. Thanks to Malachi's info, they knew the prisoners in order of who would fight. There were a line of them on either side of the wooden doors. The first cell on either side were medicated before the show started. Before the guards retrieved them for their own fight, they would accompany the doctor into the adjoining cell to medicate the next fighter. Once done, they would move the door beside it and retrieve the prisoner for the arena.

There were a set of guards and a doctor for each side. If their sides' prisoner won, they'd take them back and toss them in their cell before medicating the next fighter. It was an effective system, but it was also easy to track.

The cameras could be a problem, and so he was waiting for confirmation that they were outside the surveillance room. "We're in place, boss." Kono said a moment later. She was positioned with Chin, Palowunu and Graham. Johnson remained at the base of operations in the forest above them, monitoring the communications and watch the heat signatures on the screen in front of her.

"Three signatures inside the room. You are clear to move, guard signatures remain adjacent to arena." Johnson spoke up next.

"Move out." Steve ordered from his position. There was silence on his end as they forcefully entered the room and took out the three men inside.

"Clear." Kono reported briskly a few seconds later.

"Alright, Kono, stay and monitor the compound. Rest of you move towards the exit. Johnson?" Steve said.

"Two heat signatures at the exit. Rest are unmoved. You should have a clear path." She announced.

"Kono?" Steve asked next.

"Yeah boss, we've got twelve cameras set up here. Two on the arena, six on the audience, and the other four on the gates and surrounding area. None in the hallways."

"Aright. Proceed cautiously."

The others headed in formation to the main gates. The valets had all disappeared to somewhere and, true to word, the two guards were the only ones remaining. They were dispatched quickly, and the teams soon had control of both the gates and the control room.

"Alright, have SWAT move in and start extracting the prisoners. Johnson, watch those signatures to break away from the arena. Tony's refusing to kill his opponent, and I'm not sure how this is gonna go. Let's move people, go." He commanded, reaching into his own pants to start laying out the set of flash bangs he was going to throw down into the audience once the rest of the prisoners were removed.

Even as Tony stood peering up into the glare of light off glass, he refused to budge, crossing his own arms across his bare chest and refusing to pick up the knives. The audience began booing at him almost immediately, but Tony refused to budge.

Nate eventually charged at him again, deciding it was better to get it over with than linger across the ring. With only one working arm and no knife, he knew he was likely running to his slaughter. Rather than taking the easy opportunity (and the kill shot), Tony lashed out once again in defense, ducking under his wild swing and then cold-cocking him when he shot back up.

Nate swayed back once again, staggering and falling to the ground, eyes rolling up in his head. The crowd began chanting down at him, " **FINISH HIM. FINISH HIM. FINISH HIM**." Tony shook his head, backing up until he was pressed to one wall. The crowd booed down, jeering at him and mocking him. One man yelled the word "PALACH!" and then almost simultaneously began chanting it. " **PALACH! PALACH! PALACH!** "

The announcer began laughing and said something in Russian. The door across from him opened again, and the huge blond Russian that had escorted him that first night entered the arena. Tony felt coldness sweep over him, and ducked down to swoop up the two knifes still stuck a few feet before him.

The man who called himself Nicholas Taylor did not hesitate once he entered. He strode immediately over to the man still passed out on his back and took a fistful of his hair. He lifted his whole upper body off the ground, the man himself rousing with the motion and struggling instinctively. Taylor used the knife already clenched in his own hand to slice his throat clean open and then dropped him down to gurgle helplessly in the sand.

The crowd cheered, enthusiasm restored, and Tony felt sick. Taylor reached behind himself and drew out another identical knife, so that they both held two. The man leapt forward and attacked, Tony trying desperately to keep up with his superior size, strength and skill. He felt sweat breakout across his body, felt his muscles scream and strain as he forced them to keep up, to move faster. He was hanging on with everything he had, but he felt far from confident in his odds.

~*~ Steve's POV ~*~

When the doors had opened and the new challenger had entered the room with Tony, Steve felt himself freeze all over again. The blond _felt_ dangerous, and practically glistened with bloodlust. "Where are we at?" He demanded, breath baited.

"We're at the last four cells, Sir." Johnson announced from above.

"Let me know as soon as the last prisoners are clear." He ordered curtly.

"Yes, sir." Steve looked across at his partner, seeing Danny's own impatience reflecting back at him. Logically he knew it was better to get the potentially volatile prisoners clear before engaging in conflict, but it didn't make the wait any easier, especially when he was forced to hold and watch Tony struggle against a fresh, uninjured and highly skilled opponent.

What felt like ages later, Johnson's voice clicked into his ear again. "Prisoners are clear. SWAT is in position. We are clear to proceed." She announced calmly.

"We are in position." Malachi announced from where the pair had discreetly migrated to the main stairwell to keep the audience from trying to flee.

"In position." Chin announced next.

"In position." Palowunu stated last.

"We are in position." Steve announced. Move in in three- two- one- GO." Both he and Danny activated their flash bangs and tossed them into the stands below. Malachi and Liat had braced for it and sprung forward immediately after, weapons drawn and ready.

Meanwhile, outside the first door, Chin's team announced themselves to the group of eight of the masked guards. Across the arena, Palowunu's team did the same. Above, Steve and Danny had dropped down from the rafters to secure the announcer and his own four personal guards at his position in the stands.

SWAT began moving in once hailed, and it seemed like everything was going smoothly. Tony staggered back and away from the opponent that was still pressing him. He felt the blood from another long gash open up, curving around his hipbone opposite the still bleeding gash across his ribs.

Danny nodded to Steve that he was good, and Steve immediately launched himself off a nearby bleacher to spring over the safety glass and fall the twenty feet to the sandy ground below. He landed in a roll and came up, run pointed directly at the Russian once again preparing to charge the severely injured man now safely behind Steve.

Steve reached down carefully and drew his backup, holding it behind himself for Tony to take. Tony pushed himself off the wall, dropping the knives he still held in favor of grabbing it, immediately releasing the safety and cocking it. He immediately felt better having the gun in his hands but was still have a hard time focusing over the thrum in his veins.

His heart beat louder and louder, he could see the chaos of SWAT marching into the room and everything felt too loud and muffled all at once. His head swam, and the colors began swirling around each other to the rhythmic beating of his heart.

He clutched the gun tighter in his hand, but couldn't feel the pressure of it. The swooshing of his blood was getting louder and louder, until it was all he could hear. He staggered backwards slightly, loosing what was left of his breath as his back collided with the wall once more. The swirling colors began to mix with flashes of dark red and black, and then disappeared altogether as he lost the fight with consciousness.

 _~*~ TBC ~*~_

 _AN: This chapter gave me a bit more trouble, and I really didn't want to force it. I hope it meets all of your expectations. It was starting to get way too long, so I decided to cut it off here and have once more chapter to tie up all the loose ends. Let me know what you think, and I'll hopefully have the (real) last chapter out in the next few days. Thank you to everyone who has given me feedback thus far- I really appreciate all the support!_


	11. E Hele Mai Ana I Ka Hale (Coming Home)

Tony was only out for a few seconds before his brain automatically rebooted and tried to wake him. He was still laying in the sand, back pressed against the wall in a way that should have been painful, but wasn't.

Steve was crouched over him, absolute chaos still churning around them. Tony smiled regardless, feeling carefree and bold with the drugs still coursing through him. "Hey." He stated with a dopy grin.

"Hey, yourself." Steve replied with a concerned frown. "Don't try to move yet." He commanded when Tony started to push himself back up.

Tony ignored him, hand reaching unsteadily for the wall as the ground moved under his feet. The flow of blood surged briefly as he stretched the skin of his back and he grimaced at the sticky sensation. He reached back to rub at it without though, but Steve caught his hand before he could.

"Hey." Steve said, voice commanding Tony to look at him. Their eyes met and Tony smiled again.

"Hey. "Tony repeated.

Steve's frown deepened and he reached up to press against the button on his com. "I need a medic in here, now." He commanded shortly.

Tony immediately focused on the word medic and shook his head. He looked around, mind catching up with the situation once more. He felt spacy and dazed, his mind like sand draining through spread fingers. Still, he tried focus, straightening and moving his grip from the wall to Steve's arm.

Steve couldn't grab him back, not without holstering his gun, which he wasn't yet prepared to do just yet. Still, he stepped closer, moving so that his arm was more directly under his hands and offered more support than it had initially. "I don't need a medic." Tony stated, sounding more like himself.

"You've lost a lot of blood." Steve insisted.

Tony shook his head stubbornly and began trying to move towards the door. Steve moved with him reluctantly, wanting him to remain still but unwilling to constrain him. "I want to walk out of here." He said simply.

And Steve couldn't argue with that desire. Had felt it before, himself, every time he'd survived something he hadn't thought he was going to. It was a primal urge, the need to carry oneself away from that which almost killed them, the need to prove that you survived and you were now free to walk away.

So they walked together, Tony feeling like his head was going to float away, and Steve concerned at how unsteady the other mans swaying steps were. Regardless, they made it to the main gates and exited into the flashing red and blue lights now surrounding the compound and lighting up the darkness of the night.

Steve steered him directly to a waiting ambulance and Tony went without further protest. He was seated on a gurney, EMTs surrounding him immediately, Steve pushed away and to the background.

"Oxygen is 73%." One announced, and a mask was pressed against his face a couple of seconds later. He ignored their buzzing, eyes still locked on the other man. As he laid there, he saw Danny join the group, moving to stand by Steves side. Tony was glad to see him, glad he'd be able to distract Steve from his worrying. As he lay there, his vision began blurring once more, and the last thing he saw was the lights coloring Steve's face as they flashed.

When he woke again, the sun was shining weakly through the window. He was laying in an uncomfortable bed, a cannula tucked into his nose and the horribly familiar feel of a hospital gown surrounding his otherwise naked form. Steve was seated in the chair beside his bed, head tilted awkwardly to the side, still wearing his gear from the night before, and arms crossed tightly across his chest, even his his sleep.

He had bags under his eyes, Tony noticed with a feeling of guilt rising in him. He wanted to wake him, to ask questions, but couldn't bring himself to disturb him. He pulled his eyes away instead, glancing around the rest of the room. It looked like every other hospital room he'd ever seen, sterile and generic.

He reached up to pull off the oxygen tube, not able to stand the blow of air up his nostrils for another minute. When he moved his arm, he felt the sharp tug of an IV set in the crook of his elbow. His eyes followed the multiple lines running up to the machine, four separate bags hanging from the pole.

His eyes felt heavy and gritty. He closed them to try and relive the ache and was asleep before he could open them again.

When he did finally open them again, the sun was shining brightly and the room was empty. He felt much more awake, and was much more aware of his body. He tensed immediately, body feeling achy and somehow uncomfortably tight. He could feel the lines of fire still burning on either arm, and he honestly couldn't tell if it had abated at all.

He couldn't feel pain from his back, but he could feel the pressure and pull of stitches in raw flesh taking up damn near half of its surface. He grimaced slightly, pushing himself up regardless and then searching blindly for the button to raise the head of his bead. When the cannula once again pulled, he was cognizant enough to look at the oxygen monitor beside his bed before simply yanking it off. When he saw the red numbers glowing '98,' he reached up to pull it off anyway.

Once he was sitting up, he could see that several bouquets (including one made of candy) and colorful balloons had been added to the room and lined the wall and windowsill. He smiled slightly at seeing it, though was confused as to how many was there.

The IV was still running in his arm and his call light was on the tray table beside his bed. He reached out and pressed the button silently and then tried to shift to try and make himself comfortable. Only a minute or so passed before the nurse was bustling into the room with a light knock on the open door.

"Agent DiNozzo." She said, smiling down at him. "My name is Jen and I'm your RN this afternoon. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling okay." He said, tone raspy.

She shot him a sympathetic look as she moved over to look at the screen of the IV. "Your doctors have been notified that you're awake. They should be here shortly and will be able to tell us whether or not you can have some water."

"Doctors?" He croaked painfully.

"Yes, Dr. Macintyre is your admitting hospitalist, and your pulmonologist, Dr. Pauahi, asked to be notified once you were awake as well."

Tony nodded slightly in acknowledgement. She moved on to listening to his lungs and check a few other things while he sat quietly and moved as directed. She was just preparing to leave the room again when a middle-aged man with sun tanned skin and greying hair walked into the room.

"Agent DiNozzo." The man greeted with a friendly half-smile. "My name is Gerald Macintyre, and I'm your attending physician for your stay with us here." He introduced himself, reaching out for a hand shake. Tony appreciated the gestures and took it readily.

"It's nice to meet you." He responded quietly, mustering a smile.

"Likewise." He man stated, moving over to the pitcher of ice water sitting across the room by the sink. He poured a small paper cup and brought it back over.

Tony accepted it gladly and sipped it in appreciation. "You've been through quite the ordeal." The man commented casually, reaching out to wrap a hand loosely around his wrist to feel for his pulse. "You were in pretty rough shape when they brought you in on Friday."

He realized immediately that the man said 'Friday,' and not 'yesterday.' As most would have. "Today's still Saturday, right?" He asked more easily thanks to the liquid, and was able to impart a bit humor into the question.

The man shook his head, eyes raising back up from his watch to meet Tony's gaze. "Today is Sunday. We kept you under light sedation yesterday but began weaning you off this morning. It is three o'clock now." Dr. Macintyre informed him calmly.

Tony's brow raised in surprise. "Why?" He asked automatically, not feeling he was injured badly enough to warrant that.

The man's eyes darted quickly down to his arms. "Are you hurting anywhere right now?" He questioned instead of answering the question.

Tony frowned at him, but answered regardless. "The cuts on my arms hurt a bit." He said grudgingly. "But other than that, it's just tightness and some achiness."

"On a scale of zero to ten, ten being the worst, what would you rate your pain right now?"

Tony shrugged slightly, immediately feeling the increased tightness and mentally telling himself he should probably avoid doing that for a while. "I don't know. A four, maybe?"

It was the doctors turn to frown at him. "The police were able to identify the substance used on the knife that left the wounds on your arms. All of the other victims who were exposed to the same chemical in the last two weeks are still experiencing significant to excruciating levels of pain." The man informed him, causing Tony's expression to turn slightly offended.

"I'm not a victim." He responded, voice cooler. "And it's not that bad. Is _that_ why I was kept under sedation?"

"Yes, well, most of those exposed to his chemical _are_ still sedated." The man said, not pressing any further. "Pain medicine is ineffective against it, and in most cases, it's better to allow those exposed to try and sleep through it. Unfortunately, your medical history is a bit more complicated than most, and you are at a much higher risk of complications resulting from deep or extended sedation."

The bedridden man nodded in understanding, though to him that didn't sound unfortunate. He wouldn't have wanted to be kept sedated, so he was a little glad his lungs made it impossible. The pain was just pain, it was always bearable.

"But your vitals have stabilized. We transfused three units of blood yesterday, and your lab values are back to normal. Your stitches all look good, and don't show any sign of infection. Your chest x-ray is a little concerning, but Dr. Pauahi will discuss that more in depth with you when he arrives." Tony nodded again. All in all, it didn't sound too bad. "You're definitely staying again tonight, and we're going to get you in for a Chest CT tomorrow. We'll go from there. Any questions at this point?" He offered, stepping back, with his hands clasped loosely in front of himself.

"Can I eat?" Tony asked with a crooked smile, though in truth he didn't really have an appetite. Still, it got a light laugh from the doctor, so it served its purpose.

"Yes, you can eat up until midnight, tonight. I'll have the nurse bring you a menu. Anything else?" Tony shook his head slowly, knowing he'd get a lot more information when the other doctor came in. "Alright, then you get some rest and I'll be back to see you tomorrow after your test."

"Thanks Doc." Tony replied. As the man was leaving the room, Steve was entering. Tony's attention was immediately drawn to the man. He'd clearly just showered and was wearing a fresh pair of tan cargo pants and plain black tee. He was also carrying Tony's familiar duffle bag in his hand. "Hey." Tony smiled, a little cautiously at the severe look still on his face.

"Hey." The man responded, walking up to the bed and leaning over to press a kiss to his forehead. It lingered for several seconds before he pulled back. Once he did, he set the bag down in the chair beside the bed and crossed his arms, looking down at his bedridden partner sternly.

Tony pulled himself more upright, automatically steeling himself for whatever was coming next. Steves blank expression faded to concern for a second when Tony grimaced, but held himself still. "I'm glad you're okay." Steve finally said once Tony stopped wiggling himself up in bed.

"What happened?" Tony asked in response, fidgeting with the edge of the covers.

"The ring was dismantled. At least for now." Steve reported calmly. "We made 987 arrests, and were able to free thirty-two prisoners, along with eight endangered animals that were being kept."

Tony shook his head slightly. "They said there were thirty-seven prisoners." He stated quietly.

"We also recovered five bodies." Tony swallowed, but tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"How are they doing?" He asked next.

"It varies. Some are better than others. Some are still sedated." Tony nodded again. "How are you doing?" Steve asked in return.

Tony shrugged, feeling the pull on his back again and silently berating himself for repeating the uncomfortable movement. "I'm okay." He said simply, hoping he'd leave it at that.

Steve's lips curled slightly, but it wasn't a smile that Tony could see. He shook his head and asked, "Are we still doing this?" Tony's eyes dropped, breaking their locked gaze. "You said we needed to have a conversation once the case was over. Case is over." Steve continued.

Tony looked back up at him, and could see the slight waver in Steves stance, like he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to press just then or not. He didn't back down though, waiting silently and stilly for Tony to respond. He observed the other man for a long moment before nodding. He still felt a little loopy and detached, but maybe that would make it easier to get through the upcoming conversation.

He drew his legs closer to himself, happy that they, at least, weren't bothering him, and patted the space left behind. He didn't think Steve was going to move at first, but after a pause he stepped forward and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. "You were right." Tony started with, hoping it would lighten the other man up a little bit. He couldn't tell if it worked or not. "I was avoiding you this week, but it wasn't because of anything you did." He paused to clear his throat and take another little sip of water.

Steve's expression didn't change. "I, uh, well, um, about three years after I started at NCIS, we had a letter delivered that was just addressed to 'NCIS Special Agent.'" He paused, eyes darting up to meet Steves quickly before dropping back down. "I opened it, and it was, uh, filled with white powder…"

Steves expression curled into a small frown of concern, but he didn't interrupt. "It turned out to be a strain of genetically modified pneumonic plague, with a suicide chain built in. I survived it, obviously," His eyes darted up again. "but it damaged my lungs pretty bad by the end. I'm fine now, usually, um, but I can be more susceptible to certain things…" He tried to put his thoughts into order, wanting to explain properly, to make this strain between them go away. It was hard though, he just felt strained, exposed and uncomfortable, and he was having a hard time focusing.

It turned out Steve was going to continue for him. "Things like volcanic fumes." He stated, voice cool. "That's why you stopped to read that sign at the park." His voice was rising the slightest bit, anger beginning to build. "You knew you shouldn't be there, and you didn't say anything."

"It wasn't like that." Tony defended himself, though his tone remained slightly subdued. "I've felt great since I've been on the island. I'm in better shape than I have been since college. I didn't think it would matter." His honesty was audible in his voice, but Steve still didn't soften.

"But you knew there was still risk enough that it made you hesitate." He shook his head. "So, what happened?" He demanded.

Tony's eyes dropped again. "I started to get a cough. It's how it always starts when I get sick. I was hoping it would go away on its own after a few days. When it didn't, I went to the doctor. He said I have Chemical Pneumonia. -What?" He broke off and asked at the look of realization on Steves face.

Steve shook his head, crooked smile on his face, though he didn't look happy. "I thought you'd been drinking more than usual. Just makes sense now." Tony's eyes dropped again. He didn't think Steve had noticed, but alcohol was a natural cough suppressant. He'd been drinking more scotch when he'd been around Steve so that it would help dampen the need to cough.

"Look," Tony spoke up, voice taking on a defensive note, though he remained subdued. "I just, I didn't want you to know I was sick."

"Why not?!" Steve demanded, pushing himself back to his feet and pacing around to stand at the foot of the bed, creating more space in between them. "What would be so wrong with me knowing you're sick? Why would you even hide something like that?" He continued, voice incredulous and pressing.

"Because I didn't want you to treat me any different!" Tony finally exclaimed, starting to get worked up for real. He was Italian, after all, and they weren't exactly known for keeping an even temper.

" _What_?"

"Look, all's anyone had done since it happened has told me what I can't or shouldn't do. Okay?" His voice was angry and coated with bitterness. "I'm sick of hearing it. I don't want it to be what you're thinking about every time we go for a run or a hike. I know what I'm capable of. I don't- I can't." He broke off, fuming and trying to bring himself under control. He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue. "I wouldn't be able to _be_ with someone that treated me like I'm handicapped or incapable, just because my lungs are a little scared up. Okay?" He demanded again, willing the other man to understand where he was coming from. "I can't have you be another one of those people in my life. So no, I didn't tell you I was sick, and yes, I was avoiding you for a few days. But-" He cut off his rant, feeling a little foolish and off kilter.

He glared down at the bed, deciding then that no, it wasn't a good idea to do this on drugs, because he definitely wasn't focused enough to have a conversation that could essentially change his life if it went wrong. It deserved his full attention, and he wished they could just rewind and do this all later. Because he wasn't looking up, he didn't see Steves shoulders drop or his expression to soften slightly as the man observed his despondent tone and posture.

He did hear the sound of his door opening again, and he glanced towards it to see a familiar face entering the room, already frowning at him. "Dr. Pauahi." He greeted, attempting a welcoming tone, but sounding more tired than anything. "This is my partner, Steve McGarrett. Steve, this is my pulmonologist."

"Commander," He nodded at Steve, clearly knowing who he was already. Steve nodded silently in return. "If you could excuse us for a few minutes, I need to evaluate my patient."

Steve looked back at Tony, not wanting to leave the room, but knowing it was ultimately the other mans decision. Tony met his eyes, looking unsure. "He can stay, if he wants to." He offered quietly.

Steve nodded, moving to stand in the corner so he was out of the way, arms crossed and face blank. "Very well." Dr. Pauahi stated, beginning by bringing his stethoscope to his ears. The whole thing took a good ten minutes before the physician stood back with his hands clasped in front of him loosely. "I was informed you were unable to start your antibiotic regiment prior to your abduction?" He questioned lightly.

Tony shook his head. "I filled it," He replied, "but never had a chance to take it out of the bag."

"I told you that you shouldn't be working in your condition." The doctor continued, sounding slightly scolding.

"And I told you that we were in the middle of a case." Tony stated stubbornly. The doctor shook his head at him with a frown before continuing.

"At some point during your captivity, you were injected with a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. There are still traces of it in your blood. It was likely given to prevent infection setting into your wounds, but in your case the massive dose was enough to prevent your lungs from worsening. They actually sound a little better than they did when I last saw you." He admitted grudgingly.

"I thought that was just the pain medicine." Tony joked, trying to sound normal. He'd noticed it felt easier to breath, but hadn't really had the time to give it much thought since waking.

"That probably doesn't hurt." The doctor agreed, smiling at him slightly for the first time since their introduction. "We're still going to get a CT of your chest tomorrow, and start you on a ten-day regiment of broad spectrum antibiotics. If everything goes well, we'll probably discharge you tomorrow night. I still want to see you for your follow up on Tuesday, and then after you finish the treatment. Sound fair?" He asked when he finished.

Tony nodded, somewhat grudgingly. "Alright. Get some rest, and I'll be back to see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Thanks, Doc." Tony stated as the man took his leave. The two men were left alone once again, and Tony turned his attention back to the man once the door had closed again.

Steve wandered slowly back over to the bed, and reclaimed his seat on the edge, propping himself up with one foot on the chair still holding the duffle bag. "Okay, listen," Steve spoke up, voice rumbly and quiet. "I know you, Tony. We might not have talked for a few years, but I _know_ you. It doesn't matter to me if your lungs are messed up. I know how strong you are, how capable. I will never doubt you, or tell you that you can't do something, because I don't believe it myself. You can do anything you put your mind to. You've proven that a hundred times before."

Tony face crumbled the tiniest bit before he got it back under control. "You mean that?" He asked.

"Yes, I do. But that doesn't mean you should take stupid risks or that you can hide it from me. You gotta be honest with me, babe. This isn't gonna work if we're keeping secrets from each other. If I knew about this before the trip, and you told me you were good, I would have taken your word for it. And when you got sick-" He broke off, leaning back slightly and shaking his head. "you should have told me instead of avoiding me."

"You're right." Tony agreed, immediately. "I know I needed to tell you, I just, I wasn't expecting it to be as bad as it was, not with how good I felt. I'm sorry. I promise, no more secrets."

Steve studied him for a long moment and then leaned forward to wrap a hand lightly around the other mans neck. He pressed their lips together softly, and Tony returned the kiss with feeling. Steve scooted closer on the bed, and they stayed that way for several minutes, reveling in the closeness they'd been deprived of since the whole thing started.

When Danny, accompanied by Grace, arrived an hour later, Tony had gotten dressed in the pair of sweat pants and his well-worn Ohio State Buckeyes sweatshirt that Steve had thoughtfully brought him. It probably wasn't cold enough for it, but it was soft and comfortable. He'd also put on the pair of dog tags that had been silently added to the bag and that went unmentioned. When they'd been together before, Tony had always worn Steves tags, or kept them on him in some way.

Because of the nature of their assignments, the SEAL teams were actually unable to wear anything identifying, and so even though they were issued Tags, they never wore them. Tony had liked wearing them when Steve was deployed (which was nearly always), because they made him feel more connected to the other man, as silly as it may have been. Steve also enjoyed seeing Tony in them, it appealing to his inner possessive caveman, and so both had taken pleasure in the habit.

When they'd broken up, Tony had shipped them back to the island, with a few other odds and ends of things he didn't want to keep and couldn't just toss out. Feeling them rest, once again, against the bare flesh under his shirt felt right in a way he couldn't put into words. The expression that had flashed over Steve's face when he'd pulled the chain silently over his head clearly showed his own satisfaction, and filled Tony's stomach with warmth.

They'd sat the head of the bed all the way up and sat, side by side, atop the covers watching the game of the smallish TV mounted to the opposite wall. The IV was still in his arm, right sleeve pushed up above his elbow, but he'd otherwise been disconnected from all the tubes and hoses. He'd also ordered some food, but it sat abandoned and barely touched off to the side of the bed.

Grace was carrying a bright, floral, 'Get Well Soon' balloon, and Tony was pleased when she scurried right up to the bed to hand it to him. "I'm sorry you got hurt!" She professed as he took it.

He smiled down at her. "Thank you." He replied softly.

She began chattering away happily as Danny wandered over to them, hands tucked into his pocket. He nodded at Tony, a smile on his lips, and clear respect in his expression. The four weren't alone for long before the others began trickling in. His own team filed in to see him, baring a small planted fern-like, get well basket. They didn't stay long, but Tony was touched they'd come by all the same. They hadn't been working together for long, after all, but it was still more of a gesture than his coworkers had made for him in the past.

Kamekona and Flippa were the last to arrive, but came bearing bags of delicious smelling food. Tony immediately perked up at the scent, stomach rumbling. He and Steve were each handed a Styrofoam container, which they set on the dinner tray Danny helpfully cleared of the forgotten hospital fare and brought over to them.

The room was probably louder than it should have been, considering they were in a hospital, but with as many people were stuffed in the small room, it was kind of inevitable. Because it was so loud, and Tony and Steve's attention were both on Danny as he regaled them with a story from his days in Jersey, they didn't really notice the door opening and two more people joining them. At least not until the room started to quiet and it drew their attention.

Malachi and Liat made their way up to the side of the bed, looking as fresh and put together as they always did. Malachi was wearing a lavender shirt with the top two buttons open under his normal black suit, despite the heat, and Liat a thin long-sleeve shirt and black cargo pants. He smiled up at them, having been filled in on their assistance with the takedown. "Sorry to interrupt." Malachi said as the came to a stop, voice droll.

"Hey, not problem at all. Wasn't sure if I'd see you before you left or not." Tony said in greeting. "How's your agent?"

"He is well." Malachi answered easily. "We will be departing for Israel this afternoon. He is happy to be going home."

"That's great!" Tony exclaimed. He glanced around the room, noticing the still way everyone was holding themselves. He shook it off, Malachi's personality could be a lot for most people to deal with, Tony wasn't surprised no one else was joining in greeting the pair. "I'd uh, offer you some food, but-" He shrugged with a crooked smile, knowing full well neither of them would eat shrimp.

Malachi's lips curled into a small smile. "No need, we are not staying. We simply wanted to wish you farewell before we depart. I am disappointed we did not get to work together this time, though watching you fight was quite impressive."

Some may have gotten upset at the bluntness of the statement, but Tony understood what he meant and knew Malachi wasn't mocking his captivity. He ignored the jolt of nausea that spiked through his stomach as the image of Nathan's throat being slashed flashed behind his eyes and smiled instead of grimacing. "I appreciate you working with the teams anyway. I owe you one."

Malachi waved off the statement with a casual motion of his hand. "Twz no hardship." That was high praise, coming from the man, and Tony smiled at hearing it. Steve nodded his own head beside him, agreeing with the statement. Despite the somewhat rocky start they'd gotten off to, Tony knew that the Mossad agents had earned Steves appreciation and respect over the course of the operation. He didn't necessarily like the other them, but he knew Tony did he respected that.

"Well, thank you all the same."

"You are very welcome, my friend. I am glad you are well."

"Well, I got a pretty cool scar out of the deal." Tony joked, rotating his shoulder slightly and feeling the tug of new stitches across a huge swatch of his back.

"That you did. Well, we will not keep you. You really should come to Israel. You would enjoy it very much." Malachi reached a hand out, which Tony grasped automatically in return.

"I'll try." He promised.

Liat stepped closer once Malachi pulled away. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his cheek. "Yes, come to Israel. We will show you a _very_ good time." Her accent was as thick as ever, and pitched to be seductive. Malachi watched the exchange carelessly, though Tony felt Steve bristle beside him at the clear invitation.

Tony smiled at her, though it lacked any flirtation in return. He'd grown use to the behavior from both of the Mossad women he'd been in extended contact with, and had come to expect it in some manner or other. He didn't take it seriously, though he knew she probably would sleep with him if he truly tried. He knew she and Malachi were far from exclusive, and even occasionally took a third partner to one or the others bed. When one lived as dangerous of a life as they did, they took pleasure when and where they could find it, and never took a day for granted.

"Shalom." He said simply, instead of reacting directly to the statement.

Malachi nodded to him and repeated the phrase, followed by Liat. The two took their leave, as silently as they had arrived, and it took several seconds for conversation to start up again. Once it did, and Tony had finished his food, he settled more deeply into the bed, coming to rest slightly pressed against Steve. He pulled his right leg, the one on the outside of the bed, up and rested his elbow against it comfortably. His hand came to rest naturally over the now warm metal hidden beneath the fabric.

He felt warm and comfortable, and he wasn't sure if the slightly dazed feeling was from the medicine, or from his own contentment, but as he listened to Danny and Kono loudly debate one football team over another, Grace piping up with her own comments every few seconds, he felt happier than he had in a long time. These people, this group, who had been strangers to him just a few months before, had become more of a family to him than he'd had since the early days at NCIS. He was so, so glad he'd boarded that plane, that he'd come back to the one place that he'd always loved being. He'd _come home_ , and that made all of the residual anger and bitterness, all the discomfort, and even the lines of fire still scored across him arms, seem so much less significant.

~* _END_ *~

A/N: This is it folks. I hope it met all of your expectations! Thank you so much for sticking with this series, and for all of the comments. Special thanks to those of you that commented on every story and every chapter. I recognized you and looked forward to hearing your thoughts on each new installment.

As you can probably tell by the length it took me to get this last chapter out, I'm definitely losing steam on this. I may come back and post more in the future, but for now you can consider this series completed. Still, I'm pretty proud of it- over 74,000 words in just under two months! Thank you all so much for reading!


	12. E Male Paha ʻOe LaʻU?

Approximately two years later...

The first time it came up, it was a night like any other. It was a Saturday, and the Ohana was lounging on the beach as they were want to do when they were off the clock and in the mood to relax to ebb of the waves below. Steve was seated in a chair while Tony sat in the sand in front of him, leaning casually back against the spread of his legs and fully enjoying the absently stroking thumb against the soft hair at the base of his neck while the comfortable weight of a weathered hand rested on the curve where it's flesh met his shoulder.

Kono and Adam were sharing the chair closest to them, while Danny sat on their other side, and the rest of the family spread around the beach. Kono was trying to convince Tony to go dancing with her at this new club that had opened the previous weekend. She'd apparently heard good things, and was determined to go herself the next Friday night. Adam was going to be away on business, and Tony was always at the top of her list for a night on the town. They'd become good friends since their introduction, and he was usually more than willing to be drug along with her.

"I can't, Kono. I have to be up early Saturday and I'm too old to try and do it hungover." He protested.

"Going out doesn't mean we have to get drunk!" She tried to argue, before letting out a snort of muffled laughter at the looks that earned her from the others listening in. "Okay, what if we limit ourselves to one drink? We don't even have to stay long, I just want to check it out!"

"I've fallen for that argument before." Tony stated, raising a brow up at her. That night had ended up with the two falling in a drunken heap and passing out together on the couch in the living room of the McGarrett home at half-past two in the morning. Neither Steve nor Adam had been particular amused with them, and work the next morning (the reason Tony had initially refused and thus needed convincing in the first place) had been miserable for both of them. Not even the DiNozzo Defibrillator had helped him feel better, despite having been passed down in his family for six generations and counting. Granted, he wasn't sure which part of the beverage it was that worked like magic, it consisting simply of soda water, Tabasco, lemon juice and a splash of salt, but it had always come through for him before.

Kono's face fell for a brief second as she too remembered that incident (and resulting hangover), but she regained her steam quickly. "What do you have to do, anyway? I know you're not on call, and Steve is going spear fishing with Chin, so I know you don't have plans with either of them."

"I'm meeting my team at the base for a training session."

"A training session for what?" She pressed, voice taking on a note of real curiosity.

"The Tough Mudder coming up in a couple of months."

"Oh, right, I've heard of that. It's supposed to be pretty brutal, yeah?"

"Uh, yeah, it's pretty intense."

"How long is it?"

"It's twelve miles, with a minimum of twenty obstacles."

"That's disgusting." Danny spoke up from beside them. "Why would any sane person voluntarily sign up for that?"

The others laughed at his disgruntlement with the idea. "Well, it's a charity race." Tony offered.

"I'll write a check, thanks." He rebuffed with a scoff.

Steve shook his head over at him. "These kinds of events are awesome, Danny. They're great for team building, and it's a really good test of fitness."

"Oh no, I don't like that tone Steven." Danny warned in return.

"What?" He questioned, frowning.

"That, that tone that you get- and that look, that stupid look. Yeah, that one, right there."

"What look is that?" Steve demanded, affronted.

"The one that say's you're going to make me do something I don't want to do." Steve's expression changed in an instant, a smug little smirk overtaking his features as his head rose slightly. "No. I mean it, whatever you're thinking right now is a 'no.'

"I think it's a good idea."

"You think what's a good idea?" he challenged, voice rising slightly. The Tony and Kono exchanged an amused look as they watched the byplay, neither moving to intervene.

"To sign up-" Danny began shaking his head immediately, but Steve continued on as if he didn't see the firm gesture. "as a team. We could pick the Widow's and Orphan's fund as our charity." He finished before Danny could cut in again, knowing the last bit would delay the immediate refusal.

It worked, but the blond's eyebrows still furrowed deeply across at him. "I don't want to do it." He finally stated firmly. "I don't _want_ to run twelve miles. You guys can do it without me and I'll write a check for my contribution if you're so determined."

"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss." Steve scoffed.

" _Excuse me_?!"

"Part of doing something like this is doing it as a team. The obstacles are designed to make you work together to get past them. We can't just do it without you, you're a part of Five-O."

"We work together every day. Our team is built, it's done. What, do you think there's a problem with how our team works?"

"There's always room for improvement, Danny."

"I'm not doing it. I'm not. If you want to go run over obstacles and crawl through mud pits, you can do it without me." He stated firmly, crossing his arms over his stocky chest. Steve shook his head at him again, allowing the subject to drop for the moment, but far from letting it go completely. Tony tipped his head back so that he could look up at his partner, who winked down at him when their eyes met. Tony shook his own head slightly, knowing full well Danny (along with the rest of them) had already been signed up, Steve having done so at the same time as Tony had signed up the MCRT. Apparently, he'd decided to try and talk the short detective around to the idea before springing that little fact at him. It would be interesting to see how it played out, Tony decided silently.

The second time it came up was about a week later. It was quieter, with just the three of them in the house. Tony and Steve were laying together on the couch, while Danny had taken up refuge in the chair. Tony's phone chimed with a text message from where it lay next to Steve's on the coffee table before them. He stretched forward to grab it, Steve's hand moving to caress the smooth stretch of skin along his side where his shirt rose up with the motion.

Phone in hand, he flopped backward so that his head resumed its place on Steves shoulder and arm. He didn't bother trying to keep the screen from Steves sight, and knew he could read whatever the message may be with a flick of his eyes but that knowledge didn't bother him in the least. When he did open the screen and look at the message, he let out a quiet groan. "Makaio and Jesse want to fly over to Maui next weekend, since we're off rotation."

Danny glanced over at the distaste in his voice. "Why is that a problem?" He questioned, always curious. He knew Tony's two team members were together, having been present when Tony had triumphantly informed Steve that he was right, having been suspicious of as much nearly from the beginning and satisfied to finally have the proof. He did feel a little bad at the shocked reactions he'd garnered from the pair, but really, it was their own fault for locking lips at the Navy yard somewhere they could be seen. Granted, the two had been alone in the office for the lunch hour, both Natalie and Tony having plans elsewhere, but Tony had forgotten that he'd tossed his Keys in his desk, and so he'd had to go back to get them.

When he'd come in the door, Jesse was seated on the front edge of his own desk with Makaio pressing firmly between his spread thighs. Jesse's legs were wrapped around the Samoan's own, keeping him close and clearly showcasing his own willingness in the scene taking place. Tony froze at the sight, part of him wanting to back away and not interrupt, another part wanting to interrupt and tease them mercilessly for their lack of restraint in the office, and yet another part- a smaller part- the part that knew what he was witnessing was technically against NCIS regulations and that he should technically be intervening, wanted him to step in out of a sense of responsibility.

The regulations were in place for a reason- several reasons, actually, explaining just why couples and family members were not allowed to serve on the same team. Tony knew they were logical, knew he was technically obliged to step in due to his position, but it just didn't feel right. He'd suspected this since his first day with his new team, and if that were the case, it would reinforce the belief that they were capable, and had already been, keeping their personal feels and their work separate. They'd been in difficult positions before, positions in which they had to choose the safety of a civilian over that of their team, and both men had shown admirable resolve and dedication in preforming their duties.

Better, perhaps, to just pretend he hadn't witnessed this little incident so that he could plead ignorant of the situation. He could call Steve and ask to be picked up instead of meeting him. He knew the other man wouldn't mind. Decision made, he took a step backwards to leave, but ended up colliding with the edge of a metal filing cabinet located beside the door instead. They'd both pulled back like they'd be scalded with hot oil, expressions of apprehension overtaking both their features at the same time.

Caught out, all three men remained fixed in awkward stillness. Tony'd finally broke and shuffled forward to retrieve his keys. Might as well get what he came for, after all. The Samoan had pulled back several steps, and Graham had slipped forward to stand back on his own two feet. Both were clearly cautious, waiting to see how there still relatively new boss would take the revelation. They weren't worried about how he'd take their relationship in general, clearly having witnessed how close he was to Steve when they'd come to visit him in the hospital, but the still knew full well it was against regs and that he had the power to boot one or both of them from the team over it.

Tony remained silent until he was back by the door, keys in hand and more than ready to leave the awkward situation. As happy as he was to get an answer to his question, he'd much rather have discovered the nature of the twos' relationship away from their place of work. "Maybe, uh, keep it professional in the office, yeah?" He threw out, knowing he had to say something. At least if pretended not to be together at work, he could likewise pretend he hadn't forgotten his keys in the first place and so hadn't stumbled across this little scene.

He'd scurried from the room in a manner that may not have been befitting of a Special Agent in Charge, but, well, so long as they continued to be able to do their job, unaffected by their relationship, then Tony would keep his silence.

Shaking off the memory, Tony replied, "Not a problem really, it just means they'll want to double up on training before they go or when they get back. They're pretty crazy about it." He scowled slightly, already dreading the four hour long session that was bound to occur. Don't get him wrong, he was a very fit man, more so in the last couple of years than ever before, in fact, but he had nothing on his two male team members. They might be together, but both men were scary competitive, and wouldn't settle for less than 110% from everyone- including their team lead.

Steve rubbed his neck in sympathy with his free hand while hiding his smirk from Tony's sight. Tony wondered when he was going to spill the beans as Danny frowned over at the pair of them. "I still don't understand why you're doing that stupid race. What's wrong with a good, solid donation? Why do you have to try and kill yourself for a cause?" He ranted, words familiar to them both.

"You want to talk about trying to kill yourself?" Steve asked loudly, tone incredulous. "When was the last time you got your cholesterol checked? With all the Malasadas you eat, _you_ , more than anyone, should take up running."

"Excuse me?" Danny's voice rose in pitch at level with his offence. "My cholesterol is just fine, thank you very much. And I do work out, I just don't like to run. There is nothing wrong- no, you know what? Most normal people don't like to run. I will run for survival or, when the occasion requires it, to catch a suspect. I will not run for fun, because there is nothing fun about it." He crossed his arms defensively, scowling over at his partner, and Tony had to cover the laugh that wanted to emerge as they continued, knowing it would draw the shorter man's ire his way and preferring to remain an observer in what was becoming a familiar argument.

The third time it came up was a mere six weeks before the race, and it was Grace that instigated the conversation. Despite her rapidly shifting moods as she grew into a teenager, Grace was still as close to Steve and Tony as ever, often preferring their company to that of her dad when he was being particularly fatherly.

She was asking if they could start working with her again. The year before, she'd taken the first place medal for the Presidents Physical Fitness Challenge, and she wanted to do so again. Her favorite uncles had coached her running, and she'd managed a six minute- eighteen second mile the day Nahele had unknowingly come into their lives. She'd gained nearly an inch in height since then, and she knew she could beat her previous records if she started working towards it again.

The innocent conversation shifted, as it always seemed to of late, into an argument between Steve and Danny, once again on the health benefits of running and other aerobic exercise. The others allowed it with longsuffering patience until Tony finally decided he was tired of hearing the same old thing. "Speaking of running," He interrupted suddenly, cutting Steve off mid-sentence and drawing both of their attention to himself. "When are you going to tell him?" He asked.

"Yeah, when are you going to tell him, Uncle Steve?" Grace mimed with a grin.

Danny frowned suspiciously, glancing between the three of them, and then around at the other to see if they were in on the secret. The blank looks he received in return had him turning his attention back to Steve, bitchy expression still clear on his features. "When are you going to tell me what, Steven?" Steve frowned at Tony, who returned his look unapologetically. "Uh, hullo. Yeah, me over here. I'm still waiting. What exactly are you going to tell me?"

Steve glanced around to see that they'd garnered the entire groups attention. "Well, I suppose now's as good a time as any," He began, raising his voice slightly to include everyone. "I signed us up for the Tough Mudder." He announced bluntly, without further ado. "We'll be running against the NCIS team in six weeks, so we'll have our first group training this weekend, provided we don't get a case in the meantime." He clapped his hands together, considering the conversation closed. "Now, whose hungry?"

"Whow, wait just a second!" Danny exclaimed as several voices spoke out at once. "What do you mean you 'signed us up?'" He demanded, crossing his arms once more. "I'm pretty sure I've made my stance on the subject pretty clear: I'm not running in this crazy race of yours. I don't run." He repeated slowly for what may well have been the dozenth time over the past few weeks.

"Yes Danny, we're clear on your opinion." Steve replied, tone edging towards condescending. "Lucky for me, I don't need your approval. It's already done." He finished, smirking broadly.

"I'm not doing it." Danny stated again.

"Yes you are."

The day of the event dawned brightly, though quickly building clouds threatened to block out the sun, and a light breeze rustled the leaves above where they stood waiting. The two groups mingled beneath an expansive tree while they waiting for the lineup. The Five-O team were wearing matching blue shirts, ' **Five-O** hana' proudly displayed across their chests in fading blue to white letters. The NCIS team wore something similar, though their shirts were a darker, navy, blue, with gold letters simply proclaiming 'NCIS' along with the seal of the Navy above their heart.

When Lou walked over and announced "Alright Five-O, huddle up.," the NCIS took the less than subtle hint and broke away. Steve and Tony exchanged one last, challenging, look, and both men knew whoever won today would have bragging rights over the other for ages. Both were naturally competitive by nature, though they rarely found themselves in such blatant challenge with each other, and so both men fully intended to give their all to the competition.

The two teams stayed pretty neck and neck for the majority of the race. There was nearly a hundred yards behind the eight of them and the next team, and it seemed like a given that they'd take first and second place easily. While many of the teams seemed to take a more leisurely stance, stopping to help other teams over the more difficult obstacles, the two law enforcement teams refused to slow their grueling pace. Things had been going well until they'd reached the final obstacle, aptly named 'Electroshock Therapy.'

It was an intimidating structure, twenty feet wide and fifty feet long, with ten thousands volts of electricity spread over a thousand dangling live wires over a mixture of mud pits, walls, and slick, rain soaked hay bales. Every wire brush caused a shock, and they were so densely packed that it didn't seem to matter how you tried to avoid them. He felt like Dory being swarmed by jellyfish in Finding Nemo as he forced his feet to keep moving forward.

Half way through, Danny lost his footing while leaping over a row of hay and slid in the mud on the other side. He fell heavily to the ground, live wires swaying above him and rain pelting down around him where he lay. He tried to push himself up, but the sharp jolt in his ankle warned him that he was better off crawling below the remaining wires to the open sky beyond.

Steve and Tony, ever vigilant of their team members progress and health, immediately noticed his fall and subsequent injury. The next team back was gaining on them quickly and, after exchanging a quick look, the two team leads ducked back beneath the electric wire to grab the shorter detective under either arm and hoist him to his feet. He staggered initially, but quickly regained his balance and began hobbling as fast as he possibly could, an arm wrapped around each man helping to support his weight.

The three remained in that position as they cleared the remaining wires and began sprit-hobbling along the fence and to the final wooden bridge. Their feet sounded heavy on the saturated planks, and all three had their eyes locked on the finish line before them.

Makaio was the first to cross under it, followed quickly by Jesse. Kono and Chin were right behind them, trailed by Natalie and then the trio still running abreast.

The next team was dodging their heals, but they refused to give in and pushed across the finish line before any other teams managed to overtake them. They stumbled to a stop, broad grins overtaking all of their features as euphoria filled them at the victory.

It didn't matter that they'd technically tied- the final member(s) of both teams crossing the finish line at the exact same time- they were just high on the challenge, adrenaline and success over the course as a whole. Excited, mud-covered hugs were exchanged and gleaming white teeth could still be seen broadly displayed beneath mud coated faces.

The next couple of minutes passed in a blur as they were shuffled off the course and towards the medical tent so that Danny's bum leg could be examined. Only after being given crutches and a pain pill did the two teams come back together for their victory photo in front of the canopy.

With such a large group, they had to form two rows for them all to fit. The front row, from left to right, showed a calmly smiling Max, followed a grinning Kono, Tony and Steve. Danny stood in the middle, holding up a single finger in the universal sign for 'Number 1,' despite being the only member of the group to look unhappy at the outcome. Chin was beside him, left arm raised in victory, followed by Natalie and then Kamekona. Behind the latter two stood Flippa, who was shoulder to shoulder with Jesse, followed by Makaio and then finally Lou. The eight who had raced wore official Tough Mudder Finisher T-shirts and bright orange headbands.

The photographer snapped a couple of photos and then smiled at them, ready to move to the next team waiting for their turn. Before he could get too far away, Steve pulled back from his spot in the line and turned to the still grinning Tony beside him. Tony'd been expecting Steve to mention collection their victory beer or something along the line of it. He'd seen Nahele hand his partner something off to the side a few minutes before, and expected it was the race tokens that had come with their packet. It hadn't been big enough to be his cell, and he couldn't think of what else it may be.

He wasn't expecting the reserve SEAL to drop to one knee, right there in the mud and rain, and hold open a ring box to his shocked hazel eyes. A stunned ripple echoed through their group, though Tony caught on to the fact that a couple of them were already aware that this was in the works from their lack of surprise.

The ring itself was gorgeous- a thick, solid, band made of gleaming gunmetal grey, with the innermost third of it inlaid with a unique etched pattern that he hadn't ever seen before, shinning brightly in a lighter silver color than the rest.

Tony tore his eyes away from the sight, once more meeting those of his partner. "I've been," Steve began, but paused to clear his throat. His nerves were showing, and Tony felt himself melt a little at the realization. "I've been trying to figure out the best way to do this, to propose in a way you deserve, but I've been coming up blank. Nothing felt right, and I finally figured out why." He paused to lick his lip and Tony wanted jump the moment, to press forward and kiss the words off of his lips, but he knew he had to allow the other man to work through what he was trying to say- for his own sake, as much as Tony's.

"I can't plan the perfect moment, because the perfect moment can't be planned. The perfect moment is this, it's us, it's you and me, pulling out on top together. It's filthy, and exhausting, and maybe a little stupid," His lips quirked a bit in Danny's direction, who was watching the moment with rapt attention. "but it's us. No matter what's happened, no matter what might happen in the future, what obstacle's we might have to face or what curveballs life might throw at us- I know I want to face them with you by my side, because I know that _together_? We can do **anything**. So, Anthony Dominic DiNozzo Junior, will you, _please_ , put me out of my misery and say that you'll do me the honor of marring me?"

Tony's lips were on his before he could finish the last word. It was just as filthy as Steve has stated in his little speech, tasting of mud, sweat and rainwater, but neither cared as they embraced right there under the overcast sky still drizzling on them drearily. Steve pulled away from him a few moments later, and Tony had to stop himself from panting. "I didn't hear an answer in there." He stated, voice hoarse and more gravely than normal.

Tony smiled again, impish and delighted and practically glowing in his own bliss. "Yes, of course I'll marry you." He answered aloud, making their engagement official. Cheers rose around them as Steve slipped the ring from it's box and onto Tony's filthy finger. Tony was a little worried that the dirt coating him might somehow scratch the precious metal adornment, but Steve reassured him as he gathered him up and lifted him clear off his feet by mummering in his ear, "Don't worry, it's Tungsten and Meteorite- very durable. I'm confident it can survive even you." He finished as he set him back on his own two feet and pressed a firm kiss against the sensitive flesh beneath his jaw.

Tony smiled again, a bit softer, and ran his own fingers through Steves hair to draw him back in for another kiss. The sound of the camera clicking rapidly in the background could be heard, but neither man cared to pay it any more attention just then.

 _~*~ END ~*~_

 **Notes:**

The Ring, if you're curious to see my inspiration :)

.

Hello to my wonderful readers. I have some bad news: My computer decided to crash a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what's wrong with it, but I got it to start once and it ran normally... And then it crashed again, and I couldn't get it to boot up for about a week. I got it to start again this morning, and so I am going to spend this weekend getting as much of what I have partially written polished up and published while I can.

Please forgive any mistakes, I am working out of a cold medicine induced haze today and will go back and edit this when I can. I'd originally planned on making this installment longer, but decided to break it into two parts considering my technical issues. That said, I do still have many more ideas floating around in this delicious universe, so there may well be more to come! You Kudos and Comments feed my muse, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thank you so much for reading!


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